A while ago, the Ten Star of the Taurus temple, Joseph, had run away into the ocean. 

Joseph used to yearn to be the disciple of a battle-type temple, so before he had moved onto the Taurus temple, he had been with the Leo temple as a Ten Star. 

In the Leo temple, he had heard stories about Lee Gun ad nauseam, such as how Stevens had defeated Lee Gun.

However, that temple was full of perverts who only knew about fighting, so Joseph had moved to the Taurus temple. And when the Taurus Saint had heard those stories, he had laughed in derision at Stevens.

[Hmmph! You’re too old to boast about winning fights against a repairman who used to fix our equipment.]

However, not too long ago in a stadium, Stevens had been sent flying with a single punch. 

At that moment, the Taurus Saint had clicked his tongue. He had said the Leo Saint was a muscle-bound idiot who focused on only attack, and that was why he lost. The Taurus Saint said the Taurus temple was on a different level since their defense was the strongest.

However, Joseph instinctively felt a danger to himself when he encountered Lee Gun.

‘I might die.’

He really felt that way. It wasn’t just that.

‘Our entire temple might disappear.’

It was common for a temple to attack a different temple. By extension, a temple wanted to swallow up another temple. Basically, they wanted a merger.

The ability one could possess differed depending on the temple. For example, a healing-type temple could acquire healing skills. However, they could never acquire fighting skills.

At a basic level, it was impossible to develop skills that diverged from the temple’s nature, even if the Zodiac raised the temple’s level.

Therefore, many dreamed about a merger of temples instead of cooperation. However, no one even thought about doing a merger. Why?

No one wanted to break the framework of the twelve Zodiacs. They didn’t have the courage to deal with the consequence of messing with the way of the universe. Moreover, no one had the courage and ability to turn all the gods into enemies.

‘The look in his eyes is different.’

Lee Gun really looked like he wanted to kill the Zodiacs at the roots.

It was partly at the order from his Zodiac, but Joseph had run away into the ocean when he sensed the danger. He traveled several hundred kilometers in an instant, receiving help from the Pisces, who was on the same side. The situation was all good up to that point!

Koo-roo-roong!

[…!]

Joseph had used the Pisces’s skill to submerge in the water when he suddenly felt a chill. Something was approaching him. As he felt that unpleasant feeling, he momentarily dropped the skill to survey his surroundings.

[…?!!]

Joseph was scared out of one’s wits.

‘What the hell is that?’

A frightening darkness was rushing toward him from behind. It was a strange darkness where one couldn’t see any light. The darkness looked like it was spreading through the waters and approaching him.

Joseph became desperate.

‘I have to run away.’

At that moment…

‘Huhk!’

The strange darkness acted as if it was alive. It attacked Joseph as if it were a snake. It was like a Vantablack; its shape couldn’t be seen, but its mouth dragged Joseph away.

This was the Serpent Bearer’s “Pool” skill.

[Pool(SSS)] (Death Divine Status)

- Area of Effect Capture skill

- After Abyss was absorbed, a new private skill was born for the owner of the Serpent Bearer’s temple.

- Anyone harboring malice will be imprisoned within the deep pool (pit) of the serpent.

- Those who fall within the pool may be put into the first stage of the abyss (influenced by the power of space).

- First stage world of abyss: Space of fear where happiness is dead.

- As Death evolves, the depth and size of the pool expand.

If Serpent Eater was a capture skill, Pool was like an imprisonment skill.

As soon as Joseph was caught, the black pool disappeared from the ocean. The only things left there were the sea creatures that roamed around the ocean.

This was how Joseph, who possessed the seal of the Taurus temple, was kidnapped.

***

Back to the present…

“Shall we start the merger?”

Joseph was dragged in front of Lee Gun, and Lee Gun grinned. When sunlight entered the pool, Joseph became surprised.

“Saint-nim! You guys…!”

The Taurus and about a hundred disciples lay collapsed near Joseph. All of them had been imprisoned in the pool. 

Joseph turned pale from fright. However, it lasted only a moment.

‘Yes. We’ll be able to reverse this situation if we have our Zodiac Saint.’

In fact, this was an opportunity where they could win!

Joseph’s eyes flashed victoriously. “Saint-nim! Please hurry and use the Zodiac descent! Please summon our master!”

“!”

Hugo and Stevens, who had followed Lee Gun, flinched. Zodiac descent?

‘That is the Zodiac.’

Hugo looked at Joseph as if the Ten Star were pathetic. Joseph had yet to realize it. However, Hugo soon had a look of understanding.

‘The Zodiac purposefully hid its identity.’

The Zodiac had appeared before Joseph looking like the Zodiac Saint Ivan. Moreover, it had avoided using the exact phrasing of “Zodiac Saint” when it threatened Sungjae and Yooha to return its Zodiac Saint.

Basically, the Taurus didn’t want it known that its Zodiac Saint had lost to Lee Gun.

‘It’ll cause a problem for its faith.’

Still, the situation shouldn’t be like this.

“He is a Ten Star. If he focuses on it, he should be able to see the divine magical energy…”

At Hugo’s mumbled words, Stevens flinched.

‘He can see that?’

Stevens had realized that the Taurus Saint was a Zodiac in reality, but he hadn’t realized it through sensing its energy.

‘Is it a coincidence?’

Goat, who stood next to them, clicked his tongue. “I agree. There is no way he could be a human when you look at the shape of its magical energy.”

What? This bastard can see it too? Stevens started to sweat.

In truth, the transformation skill of the Pisces was perfect. A technique of this level couldn’t be seen through by Joseph or the other disciples. Even the Zodiacs would get fooled.

‘Perceiving it is possible?’

Stevens was having a mental breakdown.

‘Is it because they leveled up after becoming Lee Gun’s affiliate?’

Moreover, Hugo’s energy had changed oddly.

‘Construct?’

It didn’t matter right now. Joseph had no idea that his Zodiac was in front of him. He yelled, “Saint-nim! You said you have no need to use Zodiac descent here, but this isn’t the time to be holding back! I will help! Please bring out the Zodiac!”

The other Taurus disciples yelled out when they heard Joseph’s desperate words. At this rate, a thousand of the elite fighters and about a million disciples would be absorbed by Lee Gun.

Basically, only one way was left where they could prevent being dragged away by Lee Gun—a battle between the Zodiacs!

The Taurus disciples yelled desperately.

“Saint-nim! Hurry up and summon the Zodiac!”

“That is right! The only one that we can trust right now is the Zodiac!"

The Taurus felt like it wanted to die. Their words were driving it nuts.

‘I’m the Zodiac, idiots.’

Moreover, the battle between the Zodiacs had already ended! And it had already descended, so what more could it do?

The Taurus disciples looked at their “Zodiac Saint” with inquiring gazes when they saw his expression.

“Saint-nim! What are you doing?”

“Hurry up and call the Zodiac….”

At that moment, as if he could hear it no longer, Lee Gun burst out laughing. Everyone confusedly looked at him. 

However, Lee Gun immediately changed his expression. It was as if he had never laughed before. “That’s not your Zodiac Saint.”

“What?”

“That’s your Zodiac.”

As soon as he spoke, the Taurus disciples screamed.

“Are you playing with us?! There is no way—”

“It is as I’ve said.” Lee Gun made a fist.

[Serpent Eater]

As soon as the skill was activated, the Taurus’s head was revealed!

It was just the head, but there was no denying it. This was the sacred beast from the legends, a being that shouldn’t be messed with. It was Apis, who had become the god of absolute defense, the holy bull of Egypt.

Everyone was surprised by this sight.

“Zodiac?!”

With its identity revealed, the Taurus looked at Lee Gun as if it wanted to kill him. In truth, it had wanted to appear in its true form, but Abyss had chewed up its soul and given it a grievous wound.

The disciples let out forced laughs as if they didn’t want to believe what they had just seen.

“Ha ha ha. No. I...It is fine. This can be explained. I’m sure our Zodiac became like that after fighting the monster…!”

As if he was responding to those words, Lee Gun kicked the Taurus’s face.

Bbah-gahk!

“Oh, Zodiac-nim!”

[Huh-uhk…!]

“Don't get it twisted. I’m the one who killed that whale. This bastard is in this state because I beat him up.”

“…!!”

Of course, the last statement was a bald-faced lie. However, his words were enough to cause a reaction.

[The Taurus disciples’ Faith toward the Taurus has fallen.]

[The faith toward the Serpent Bearer has increased by a bit.]

Lee Gun laughed at their reactions.

‘I’ll be able to steal their defense ability. I’ll be able to steal the contract that was hidden in their holy ground.’

He wanted to know what truths the twelve Zodiacs were hiding. He wanted to know why they had tried to kill him. The contract kept each other from speaking.

The Zodiacs had thought Lee Gun could never break through the Taurus’s defense, so they had hidden the contract within the Taurus Saint’s holy ground. However, that was at an end.

Moreover, the defense ability would fall under the domain of Life. And by gaining the defensive ability, Life would be able to make up for some of his shortcomings.

When Lee Gun started approaching the Taurus, the defensive-type Zodiac could no longer take it. The Taurus shouted.

[What are you doing, Fairy Monarch? Did you forget about your contract?]

The rough voice called out to the attendant of the Gemini. However, there were no responses. The Fairy Monarch had seemed to realize the Taurus would lose and had hidden itself. The Fairy Monarch didn’t want to cause harm to the great Zodiac of magic.

The Taurus became angry when it realized it had been betrayed.

[You unhelpful piece of…!!]

At that moment…

[Your Temple energy has increased.]

[Divine status has reached 70%.]

[You can use your new skill.]

Lee Gun’s eyes flashed as if he had been waiting for this moment. The notification was referring to the new skill that had developed when Life had evolved.

[Winter Hibernation- Accumulate Food (EX)]

- You can swallow and absorb your opponent.

- Anything you eat can be accumulated (abilities, magical energy, divine energy, divine status, EXP, etc.).

- There is a penalty according to how much you eat (physical ability reduced by 50%, sleepiness, laziness, slowness)

- Penalty Duration: Until you digest everything

In simple words, it was like a nourishment storage system.

This skill was different from the Gluttony skill. Gluttony was a skill that ate an attack and spat it out. There was barely anything left after the skill was used. On the other hand, this was an accumulation skill.

‘There is a risk, but this allows me to take all the abilities of the Zodiac.’

Lee Gun laughed when he had this thought. He activated his new skill.

Flash!

An incredible golden-green light appeared around Drachma. It was as if one was looking at intense Life energy.

Kwahng!!!

[You have swallowed the Zodiac.]

[The Taurus has entered your stomach.]

[Everything that constitutes the Taurus is being amassed by the Serpent Bearer.]

It was unknown as to how much time had passed.

When the light dissipated, no one could believe their eyes.

“T-The Zodiac is gone!”

Yes, the defensive-type Zodiac that had been present here until a moment ago was gone.

At that moment, a sound rang out, breaking the shocked silence that had come over Drachma.

Burp!

Lee Gun looked embarrassed as he placed a hand over his mouth.

Hugo screamed, “Y-You crazy bastard! You really put a god in your stomach…?!”

Joseph shook at this sight.

‘The energy of the Zodiac is completely gone.’

His Zodiac was really gone. However, he didn’t give up.

‘Yes. I just have to go to the Pisces since we are cooperating…!’

Joseph was about to try a different maneuver when he trembled.

“!”

The reason was Lee Gun.

‘What is going on? The energy surrounding him got stronger…!’

He hadn’t known it before, but it felt as if a very powerful carapace had appeared around him. It was like watching a monster that was about to molt.

‘I’ll be eaten.’

At that moment, a calm notification voice rang out.

[Your divine status has increased according to the cow you ate.]

[Your temple has gained EXP equivalent to a month’s worth of EXP amassed by the Taurus temple.]

[One of the great thirteen stars is gone.]

[A second empty seat has formed within the twelve Zodiacs.]

[Would you like to fill the seat with a Construct?]

The notification was asking if a Construct of Lee Gun’s would be chosen as a Zodiac, like what he had done with the Aquarius.

Lee Gun laughed.

‘That isn’t a bad idea, but…’

The downside to an affiliate was that he couldn’t use certain powers for himself.

‘Since I have regeneration, I didn't need healing. That’s why I left it alone. On the other hand, both my disciples and I can use the power of defense.’

According to the Virgo and Sagittarius, Lee Gun would have to use merger instead of affiliation, if he wanted to use the defense skill for himself.

That wasn’t all. A merger was as it implied. The temple itself would be consumed, and the Serpent Bearer would newly develop its own defensive power.

This was why Lee Gun said, “I want a merger instead of an affiliation.”

An unexpected voice rang out in response.

[To do a merger, you need the Seat of Power.]

“Seat of Power?”

He was wondering what it was when an incredible light appeared. Then something surprising started to happen.

A comet-like light fell from the dark sky.

“There is light coming from the sky!”

At the same time, ripples formed in the water in front of Lee Gun. Something emerged from the ripple, emitting a significant amount of murderous intent. Lee Gun raised his guard.

‘Is this some kind of risk for using this?’

[The Seat of Power has appeared.]