On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 206: #Troubling Hunter War (6)

After the Proliferating Thumb of God had worn off, I returned to the main body in his home in Seoul.

Ding! Ding!

His phone rang with God-Maker’s notification.

[Yu Il-Shin is currently dispatched as an avatar to the Great Cosmic Empire.]

Did I gain control over his body because the main body was still in God-Maker? I remained expressionless and motionless. Of course, the curse had been completely lifted.

I just found the whole situation unbelievable. I’d just lost, utterly and completely, to a stranger. Others would justify it by saying I was under Igis’ petrification curse, but I was a great god! A god should be omniscient and infallible! Otherwise, how would my followers believe in and worship me?

Everything I’d built up so far as the invincible god of combat had been destroyed. Also, what if the main body and Sam-Shin heard about this?

“What? Pft. King of Vigilance, my ass. He’s been acting all smug all this time, but it turns out he’s just another dumbass. Isn’t that right, Sam-Shin?”

“Des...troy!”

“Perhaps he’s the weakest amongst the three of us?”

“Des...troy!”

I imagined the main body mocking me and Sam-Shin nodding vigorously in agreement.

Ugh! That can’t happen!

I clutched my head, pulling at my hair. That would be a total nightmare! I could feel self-doubt and despair engulfing me for the first time in my life.

I’m not a god. I’m no better than that stupid, slow-witted main body.

-You’re much... weaker than imagined...Earth God...

I recalled the mocking voice of the mad clown as they looked at my shattered remains.

I gritted my teeth in anger. “How dare he call me weak.”

My self-doubt was replaced by fury. That coward who ambushed me must’ve possessed a High-tier God’s divine power. Had I fought him head-on and fairly, I wouldn’t lose!

[The Malevolent God title Brutal Slayer (A) has been activated.]

Roooar!

Still, I couldn’t help but think about that mad clown’s overwhelming, intense bloodlust. Who was behind that mask? Was it the Ant Emperor, who’d challenged me to a Gods' Sacrificial War? Maybe Beast of Deceit and Rapacity, or Ruler of the Abyssal Swamp?

No, it didn’t matter who they were. I’d take them down.

“They’re dead.”

They had just woken up a sleeping lion.

I sat up while still in Yu Il-Shin’s body. It didn’t feel weird since we were the same person.

I pulled out a wooden box from a drawer nearby. Inside was a dark sword similar to a Kukri dagger, its wide blade evolved from a regular kitchen knife.

“Demon Lord, I require your assistance.” I strapped it to my waist.

I’d grown complacent due to dealing with small fries for so long. I vowed to never be caught off guard ever again.

Ding! Ding!

Just then, more notifications appeared from God-Maker. They were relentless. What the hell was Yu Il-Shin doing? I curiously took a peek at the screen.

-This isn’t just a movie anymore, but a work of god!

-Warrior Il-Ho and his guardian! A spectacular and touching performance from God Yu Il-Shin, who played the double role perfectly! The entire universe is singing high praises for it!

-A space love story that touched the entire universe—a true story of Empress Esméralda of the Great Cosmic Empire! Inquiries for a sequel are through the roof!

-Is he the god of movies?!

“Waaaah! God Yu Il-Shin, you’re so cool!”

“Milkway[1] Yu Il-Shin!”

The critics’ rave reviews, along with the applause and cheers from hundreds of millions of aliens from across the stars, thundered in the air.

Yu Il-Shin, clad in a tuxedo, strutted up a set of optical stairs and onto a podium in an elaborate spaceship.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

-Warrior. Quick, please save Esméralda! I shall protect you!

-Please wait just a bit longer, Your Highness! As long as I’m with God Yu Il-Shin, I am invincible! Muuuuscles!

An action movie was playing in the void, showing a scene of Yu Il-Shin and Il-Ho fighting against the God of Destroyer’s underlings. The quality was utter garbage. The movie looked as if it had been photoshopped a million times over.

Yu Il-Shin looked down, addressing the aliens beneath the podium.

-I’d like to thank my dear audience for traveling all across the universe to grace our movie premiere. Personally, it was quite difficult as it was my first time filming, but here we are! Hic, hic! I dedicate this honor to my director, my family, and especially my lovely niece, Seong-Yeon!

He delivered a tearful speech as if he’d won an award at a film festival. I covered my face—the second-hand embarrassment was real.

“Just what the hell are you doing...?” Even though we were the same person, I couldn’t understand him at all. “Alright, go ahead, keep messing around.”

I’ll get revenge for this humiliation before you return.

I clutched the phone tightly, vowing to tear that mysterious clown’s mask off. I’d prove that I was the strongest among the three of us.

Clunk! Bam!

“Mr. Yu! Are you there?!” a middle-aged man yelled, kicking open the front door and barging into my home.

“Bastard, you’re home! How dare you go AWOL without prior notice! Where’s the manuscript?! Let’s die together today!”

Oh, it was just the editor-in-charge. He lunged at me like a raging rhinoceros, trying to strangle me.

I clicked my tongue, glaring disapprovingly at him. “I don’t have time to play with you right now.”

I exuded a suffocatingly dense, dark aura.

“W-writer Yu Il-Shin...?” The editor-in-charge stopped dead in his tracks, sweating profusely.

“For now, the serialization...”

“W-what about it?”

“...Is on a hiatus due to personal reasons!”

My teeth clattered at the thought of the mad clown.

I’m going to kill you, I must.

“Skill sharing. Choi Bong-Shik, Ruler of Space.”

Swoosh!

“H-hyiie! H-he’s a ghost!”

I disappeared from my house, leaving the editor-in-charge stunned and scared out of his wits.

While I could’ve teleported straight to Africa, covering 10,000 kilometers would have drained too much of my divine power. I had to reserve my power to kill that mad clown, who was an equivalent of a High-tier God. Thus, I decided to teleport to the Hunter Association and use the portal there instead.

Swoosh!

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

Xu Zhu was in the training room, watching TV, when I suddenly appeared. Her eyes widened, and she rushed toward me.

“Mr. Yu? Why are you here? What about the Hunter War?!”

“That’s not important right now.”

“How can that be! We’re going to get disqualified at this rate! We’ve already lost three times in a row!”

“What? How is that possible?”

Even without me, the Korean team had a lot of good Hunters. We even had Sung Mi-na, who was actually an SS-rank Hunter.

“It’s true, sir! Look at the screen!” Xu Zhu pointed at the television, which was broadcasting the Hunter War live.

「Hahaha! What a shame, Korea! You call yourself a Hunter powerhouse with such meager skills?!」

The grizzly, golden-armored Ares roared like an animal. His opponent was carried away in a stretcher, covered in blood. It was none other than Baek Yoo-Hyun, Korea’s famous pyromancer.

Baek Yoo-Hyun was top of the cream amongst S-rank Hunters in Korea, yet he failed to leave a mark on Ares.

Ares raised his axe and circular shield in the air like an ancient gladiator, facing the million-strong spectators in the Colosseum.

「Look, everyone! I Ares Lehou is the strongest Hunter of all!」

「Waaaah! Ares Lehou!」

「What a legend! Ares Lehou!」

The audience loudly worshipped him like a god.

“Heh.”

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

***

On the other hand, in the Colosseum of South Africa, where the Hunter War was going on...

Hunter War Round of 64, Group 2, Round 1

Rules: 5-player, winner-takes-all

Greece vs South Korea

Current Score 3 : 0

Greece Representative Hunter: Ares Lehou (3-round win streak)

“Three straight wins for the relentless! Greece takes the win for the third round once again! Ares—Hercules incarnate—is truly overwhelming!”

“Waaaah! Ares, the hero of Greece!”

The MC and audience cheered in excitement.

“I am the strongest!” Ares roared, flashing his dazzling golden armor.

He was arrogant, but it was justified.

“I-I am ashamed...” Baek Yoo-Hyun muttered apologetically to the somber Gal Joong-Hyuk.

“It’s alright. Just focus on your recovery.”

Meanwhile, Choi Bong-Shik sat on a bench outside the arena, watching anxiously. Ares was even more of a monster than he thought!

Darn it! Even Veteran Baek Yoo-Hyun lost to him!

Choi Bong-Shik never thought he’d have to fight Ares! Everything that could go wrong went wrong the moment Yu Il-Shin disappeared. Sung Mi-Na, Shin Yoo, Death Knight Hades, and even their substitute, Sword Demon, all skipped the Hunter War to search for him. Team Korea had lost all of their strongest members!

What the fuck are they doing?! Why would they worry over a guy who wouldn’t even die if he was killed?!

Choi Bong-Shik’s leg shook nervously. Competing in the first round was world-class model Lily, otherwise known as Ko Myeong-Hee. She attempted to bewitch Ares with Charming Eyes, but his pesky golden armor deflected the effect. With her ability nullified, defeat was inevitable.

Next in the second round was S-rank Hunter Park Kwon, who had been making a name for himself for the past decade. Yet, he couldn’t last more than three minutes against Ares’ attacks, forcing their trusted Baek Yoo-Hyun into round three. And the rest was history.

“Now, Director Gal Joong-Hyuk! Please select the fourth Korean Hunter who will be facing Greece’s Hunter Ares!”

Gal Joong-Hyuk nodded at the MC’s prompt and stood up from his seat.

“We’re left with no choice.”

Choi Bong-Shik nodded in response. The only person who could take on that monster was Gal Joong-Hyuk, the Reinforce-type Hunter.

“Steve Choi, I hope you’ll win this.”

“Huh?”

Gal Joong-Hyuk put a hand on Choi Bong-Shik’s shoulder. “I believe in you. Please show us the pride of a Korean Hunter.”

“N-no! Wait!”

At the same time, his name appeared on the LED board.

“Mwahahaha! You’re finally on, Steve Choi! I’ve waited so long for you!” Ares salivated and cheered like a starving beast that had just found its prey.

All the cameras in the Colosseum turned to Choi Bong-Shik. His blond actor-seque outlook was projected on the screen, and the audience began giggling.

“Oh! Is that Korea’s strongest Hunter, Steve Choi?”

“He’s not just their strongest Hunter! Rumors have it that he’s Armageddon, who wiped out the monsters yesterday in Africa!”

“Kyaaa! Hero of Africa!”

“Steve Choi! Steve Choi!”

There was no way Choi Bong-Shik could forfeit this round after those explosive chants.

Yu Il-Shin, you fucking asshole! You said I didn’t need to fight!

Bong-Shik cried internally, biting the bullet as he stepped into the arena.

Ares pointed his axe—the size of a house—at Choi Bong-Shik. He growled menacingly, “Grrr! I’ll kill you, Steve Choi!”

1. So in Korea, when fans praise certain idols using the term 우유 빛깔, it literally translates to Milk-colored, expressing how pale/white their skin is, which was part of the beauty standard a few years back. ☜