Vulcan was thrown into chaos.

So far, he never batted an eye despite having faced numerous powerful opponents continuously.

Even when Rex Ruburo achieved substantial stats boost through evil means, also when Vulcan was nervous, he didn’t panic like this.

However, he could not stay calm about the fact that the Enlightened G.o.ds, his most powerful forces, suddenly disappeared. Like a child who just lost his parents, he felt anxiety filling up inside.

‘I have plenty of Vitality Marbles in the inventory…’

Vulcan wondered if the Vitality Marbles were all spent, so he opened his inventory and checked inside. However, that was not the case.

The amount had decreased substantially in comparison to the beginning, but he was still on the safe side.

He still had enough to borrow the power of Yur Dong-bin at least twice more.

“What the? How did this happen?”

Vulcan’s voice was filled with panic.

He immediately tried to put Vitality Marbles into Kina Kina the beast bird’s mouth.

He was trying to summon any Enlightened G.o.d and ask about why the summoning was canceled earlier.

However, Vulcan couldn’t continue.

Deadly intent.

Enormous evil intent was gazing upon Vulcan. It was enough to make him absolutely petrified in an instant.

Vulcan instinctively felt the danger and quickly lowered his body.

Psuuuuung

“You dodged that. You are pretty quick.”

“…”

Rex struggled and raised his body up.

His hand was engulfed in bright light, and Vulcan could feel huge mana twitching around there.

Vulcan felt his heart sink. He quickly put distance between himself and Rex and fixed his gaze at the man.

Vulcan already forgot about putting Vitality Marbles inside Kina Kina’s mouth.

Rex’s body was broken to the point of being in brink of death. However, as far as the stats were concerned, Rex was still a powerful one with four-digit level.

Vulcan had no margin to spare and wonder his eyes off.

He could feel his forehead being filled with cold sweats.

Looking at Vulcan’s reaction, Rex smiled brightly.

It was the smile of someone who barely escaped the monsters from the depth of h.e.l.l.

Rex gathered plenty of mana in his both hands and thought,

‘I thought I was dead for sure, yet…’

With his eyes closed, Rex was going to show a composed final moment.

However, although quite some time had pa.s.sed, nothing happened. That really spoiled his mood.

Rex thought they were toying with him.

‘f.u.c.k. I’m going to die here, yet they are doing something like this…!’

He was experiencing unspeakable anguish over the fact that he lost everything over one morning, and he was receiving such a patronizing treatment in the end, or so he thought.

Infuriated, he opened his eyes to just get it over with already. However, he felt that the situation was flowing in a strange direction.

The knight-like b.a.s.t.a.r.d, who had been exuding huge castle-like st.u.r.diness, was gone without a trace. Instead, there was just Vulcan looking all over the place in panic.

At that moment, Rex quickly recognized that the situation was rolling in his favor. He then promptly fired a mana canon at Vulcan.

Due to the fact that his body’s condition was in shambles and his deadly intent that could not be suppressed, Rex was not able to end Vulcan in a single blow, but that didn’t matter.

Even in a trashed condition like this, Rex was confident that he could handle one of Vulcan who longer had any Enlightened G.o.ds around.

Rex belittled Vulcan.

“I don’t know what happened, but I think the situation had turned in my favor, don’t you think?”

“…”

“Why are you speechless, huh? Because the big brothers who had been protecting you are all gone? Huh? Why don’t you answer! Haha!”

Vulcan didn’t answer.

It was not going to help him at all anyway no matter what he said in response.

Instead of giving an awkward answer that might help raising Rex’s fighting spirit, Vulcan thought it would be better to ignore the questions with silence.

Vulcan was feeling incredible pressure. He felt like his internal organs were going to get squeezed out from the pressure. He suppressed the anxiety and operated the Thunder G.o.d’s Might.

Rex watched the golden energy surrounding Vulcan’s body and belittled Vulcan as if he found Vulcan’s move to be pathetic.

“Kuku. It seems like you are in no mood to answer.”

“…”

Vulcan still kept silent.

As if he didn’t care anymore, Rex shrugged his shoulder.

“Well, it’s fine. Let’s end this.”

Immediately, Rex’s thick arms swelled up to twice the size. The light that was focused through his arms also grew in intensity.

It looked like the mana cannon was going to be launched at Vulcan in any moment.

While focusing on Rex’s every move, Vulcan bit his lower lips hard enough to cause bleeding.

It was at that moment.

Shoooooc

It was a sound of futility like air being blown out of a balloon.

After that, as if air really did get blown out, Rex’s body went back from a muscular form to his original skin and bones state.

“… Huh?”

“… Um?”

They were both dumbfounded.

Only silence was flowing in the area.

For a long while, a quiet atmosphere continued as if the place was a baseball stadium without any game for the day.

The landscape was filled with destruction as result of numerous magic spells. Only lonely sounds of winds could be heard.

Like that, for about five seconds, the two men just stared at each other without being able to say anything. Eventually, a voice full of regrets could be heard from Rex’s mouth.

“s.h.i.+t… Time limit…”

Kwaaaang!

Vulcan quickly created a Destructive Core and dropped it toward Rex.

The man was vaporized. Not even a tiny piece of his clothes was left. Rex met his end without even being able to scream.

Watching this, he felt the tension suddenly breaking. Vulcan plummeted to the ground.

He finally breathed.

“Puuuhaaaaaa…”

Vulcan decided to lay down with all of his arms and legs spread out all the way.

Like that, Vulcan recovered his energy for a moment. He felt like his lifespan just got reduced by ten years from the fright. Vulcan looked at the sky.

The clouds were slowly floating away.

Looking at the relaxing clouds, Vulcan finally realized that it was all over.

‘No… Not quite. There’s Chimeras, and… Fowaru.’

Their existences made Vulcan feel uncomfortable. However, they didn’t bother Vulcan so much.

At best, Chimeras were around level 750. They were no longer any threat to him.

As for Fowaru, his level was over 880, and the man was a special ancient being, so it was going to be a little more difficult to fight Fowaru. However, Vulcan didn’t think he would lose.

He was certain he had the ability to fight anyone who was under level 900.

Vulcan was finally able to relax his face comfortably.

“It’s over…”

Of course, his revenge was not perfectly complete yet, but that didn’t matter.

It was because his greatest enemy named Bae Su Jin was gone.

Vulcan no longer needed to stay in hidden dungeons to avoid Bae Su Jin.

Now, like Vulcan always had been, he could go find a hunting ground that suited his level and work diligently on leveling up. He just needed to work hard, level up and clear the Act 2 and then return to Earth that had been restored, to be reunited with his family.

The rest of his journey looked smooth.

Vulcan had no reason to feel uncertain about the future.

‘… Yet, how come something feels so wrong?’

Vulcan was vacantly staring at the clouds.

He had been unconsciously following the clouds that were flowing to the east. He then saw a cloud that looked like a round marble. Vulcan suddenly got a grip.

‘Ah, the Enlightened G.o.d!’

He wondered why he didn’t think of this until now.

Only five minutes ago, Vulcan was feeling anxious as if he was a child who lost his parents, yet he had been completely forgetting about this after the danger was over.

Vulcan laughed at himself for his own ridiculousness. He injected mana into Kina Kina and put a Vitality Marble in its mouth.

He was intending to summon a lowest Enlightened G.o.d at least and ask why Vilhelum Phon was unsummoned earlier.

However, his attempt ended in failure.

“t.w.a.t.”

“…”

Kina Kina refused to eat the marble.

Vulcan panicked. He picked up the marble and tried to put it in Kina Kina’s mouth again, but Kina Kina looked enraged. Infuriated voice could be heard through its mouth.

- You rascal! That’s enough!

“… Blue Dragon, Sir?”

- Sir you say? Don’t bother with pretended respects!

His voice sounded furious.

Vulcan didn’t know why, so he kept silent. Rays of light exuded from Kina Kina’s mouth and formed a visual in the air.

There was the Blue Dragon lying on the bed with a wet towel on his head.

Next to him was Ryur-ryul the Fox Demon. It seemed she was nursing the Blue Dragon.

Shocked to see this, Vulcan asked,

“What the… Blue Dragon… How did this happen…”

Vulcan sounded like he was absolutely stunned.

He couldn’t help it.

This was the Blue Dragon.

They were at Act 2 where only the best of Act 1 gathered, and the Blue Dragon was a G.o.d beast who was counted among the most powerful beings in Act 2.

However, he was bedridden at the moment. It was unthinkable for Vulcan.

‘Just what happened to him… Wait, but why is he so angry at me?’

Vulcan put on a respectful face and rolled his brain.

He figured the Blue Dragon must have a reason to be so mad at him.

Vulcan thought he might be the reason why the Blue Dragon was having such a difficult time.

Vulcan observed the expression on the Blue Dragon’s face.

The Blue Dragon was glaring at Vulcan, and Vulcan was now sure of his conjecture.

The Blue Dragon had the look on his face that said Vulcan should know why.

Vulcan carefully went over everything he did.

“Ah!”

It seemed Vulcan realized something.

“By any chance… Because of Enlightened G.o.d summon…”

- Did you do this even though you knew? Huh?

“No, that’s not it…”

- Because of you, I thought I was going to dry up and die!

Blue Wind the Blue Dragon scolded Vulcan with infuriated face.

Looking at the Blue Dragon, Vulcan put up an apologetic face.

‘That makes sense… He had been maintaining the summoning through the whole day… I understand how it put strain on him.’

The Blue Wind had been summoning the Enlightened G.o.ds in exchange for the Vitality Marbles.

Of course, it was not like Vulcan could use unlimited power in exchange for the Vitality Marbles put in like a vending machine.

Vulcan had been continuing to borrow Yur Dong-bin’s incredible power. Later on, Vulcan had two Enlightened G.o.ds summoned at once. It seemed this was difficult even for the Blue Dragon.

“You didn’t say anything, so I thought you were all right…”

- Would you have been all right with all that? Summoning such Enlightened G.o.ds from a long distance is… Ugh. Let’s not even bother.

Blue Wind the Blue Dragon was pointing at Vulcan, but he moaned in pain and laid back down on the bed.

Watching the Blue Dragon, Vulcan apologized again.

“… I was in a critical situation, so it could not be helped. My life was on the line… I am sorry.”

- … Hm.

Having heard Vulcan’s sincere words, the Blue Wind suppressed his anger.

Actually, although Vulcan made the Blue Dragon overexert himself in summoning the Enlightened G.o.ds, this was not a bad thing for the Blue Dragon.

After all, he did receive unbelievable amount of Vitality Marbles in exchange.

Due to overexertion, the Blue Wind’s energy had spoiled a lot, but it could be more than made up with the power that he could gain from absorbing the Vitality Marbles later.

The rage on the Blue Wind’s face slowly faded. His face returned to normal.

Of course, even so, the man still looked calculating as usual.

He asked,

- I don’t know what was the exact circ.u.mstances, but… From the looks of it, I don’t think I’ll have to ask. The place around you is completely destroyed. Is it all over now?

“Not quite… but it is practically over. The most troublesome ones are dealt with.”

Vulcan looked refreshed. The Blue Dragon nodded.

- That’s good. Because I went too far this time, let alone providing breathe, I won’t be able to perform the Enlightened G.o.d summon.

“Is it that bad…”

- Yes. Did you think it is easy to bring such beings to this place remotely? It was made possible because of my power. Other b.a.s.t.a.r.ds wouldn’t be able to even dream about it!

He was obviously bragging about his abilities. However, Vulcan nodded. He had no other choices.

Blue Wind was bragging, but it was also the truth.

Thanks to his incredible power, Vulcan was able to escape this catastrophic danger. Vulcan had no reason to not flatter the man.

Vulcan put up an impressed look on his face and praised the Blue Dragon.

The Blue Wind also knew that Vulcan was just flattering him, but he didn’t point it out. Instead, the Blue Wind enjoyed the moment.

Blue Wind the Blue Dragon was feeling better. He said,

- Anyway, I don’t think I’ll be able to use my powers properly for the next ten to twelve days, so be aware of it. If you think you will be in danger for the time being, stay put at the Espo City.

“I understand.”

- Well then. I’ll get going now. Stay safe.

Phat

Like an electronic that just lost its power, the visual of the room disappeared at an instant.

Vulcan didn’t even get to say goodbye to the man. Vulcan scratched the back of his head hard and then plummeted on the ground once again.

He enjoyed the wind and closed his eyes.

Finally, he could feel the sense of liberation and accomplishment.

They were surrounding Vulcan’s entire body. They felt refres.h.i.+ng.

Vulcan felt like he could be like this for a whole day.

For now, he wanted to forget everything, including Fowaru, Chimera Maker and the heavy responsibility that he shouldered. Vulcan felt like he could enjoy a life of his own.

He could take a leisurely stroll without having to worry about his safety. He could leisurely lie down and watch the sky.

Vulcan felt like he finally had moments to spare for such.

“… Ugh.”

However, Vulcan’s troubles didn’t end with all these.

Vulcan was so sick of all these. He cringed big time and looked up the sky.

There was a body that was flying through the sky at incredible speed. It was as if it was a rocket.

Vulcan sighed big and muttered,

“Fowaru…”

The worst backstabber had shown up in the worst timing.

Vulcan had bitter smile on his face.

Of all people he met in Act 2, Vulcan believed Fowaru was one of the few that he established decent relations with. However, now, Fowaru was coming at him with obsessed red eyes.

It really spoiled Vulcan’s mood.

However, that was that. Now that Vulcan was facing Fowaru, Vulcan had to definitely end this once and for all.

Vulcan got up and cleaned up his dusty armor with a wind spell. Vulcan drew his sword and prepared for combat.

‘Fowaru’s level is a little over 880… I cannot let my guard down.’

Of course, Vulcan didn’t think he would lose.

Vulcan had not been spending idle time. He wasn’t going to lose to someone who was in 800 level range.

Carrying tightly packed confidence inside, Vulcan watched Fowaru approaching from the distance.

Vulcan hardened his face.

“This is…”

Something was different.

He figured the violent intensity was obvious.

Vulcan thought Fowaru’s kind appearance all this time was just a front. He thought it was obvious that what he was seeing now would be Fowaru’s true self.

However, there was a familiar but uncomfortable energy that was agitating his senses in the strangest way. It was the kind of energy that defied the nature.

The energy was similar to the energy from the Duke Demon Armor set that Vulcan was wearing. Looking at Fowaru who was exuding the energy, Vulcan felt uneasy.

“On top of that… It feels like he had grown stronger…’