Brahm was still conscious. Before the Virtue Stone had released its full power, he had summoned the last of the destroyed Book of Pluto’s magic power and exploded it.

[Sensed danger.]

[Magic suitable for the current situation is being searched for.]

[Wavering Fire God]

The Book of Pluto was a collection of the entirety of Brahm’s knowledge, including the knowledge of the otherworld, so the magic emitted was a lot more powerful than what Zeus expected. Unlike the weak connotation of the word “wavering,” the magic Brahm created had the ferocity of continuous fiery storms that burned one to the soul. Large columns of fire that could crush several plants successively blazed towards Zeus.

Realizing the situation was precarious, Zeus urgently put his hands together and established a thick shield around him. However, he had to continue creating shields as they kept on breaking down. Crash…! When the seemingly endless firestorm finally settled down, Zeus spat out blood and released his black burnt shield.

“What a shame. I would’ve been able to swallow him if he was a bit closer.” Zeus wet his lips with his red tongue. The portal that Brahm had opened was already closed, so he had successfully escaped.

Even though it was regretful, Zeus wasn’t worried. He felt Brahm’s divinity being destroyed at his fingertips, so it didn’t matter that Brahm had escaped. “He won’t be able to stop Gaia’s Curse, and I can always swallow him up after he loses all his strength.”

Dark lunacy glimmered from Zeus’ jewel eye. The surviving consciousnesses of the supreme gods he had secretly devoured were shouting at him, but they would be quiet soon enough.

Zeus turned his body in another direction. Now that he already chased Brahm away, who was one of the biggest obstacles alongside the Jade Emperor on his path to becoming the only god, it was time to swallow all the others.

* * *

[You have been afflicted with ‘Gaia’s Curse!’]

[Warning! Your legends are disappearing at a rapid pace. You need to be stabilized. It is advised you rest at a safe location.]

[Warning! Your divinity is beyond ruined at a rapid pace. You need to find the cause and quickly eliminate it. It is advised you rest at a safe location.]

[Warning! Your holiness…]

…

“What a state, slightly similar to walking on the edge. ### will start nagging me if he finds out.” Brahm barely forced himself to walk, clutching his wounded chest. His stumbling steps were slow, and cracked pieces fell from the right side of his chest.

Just as it was to all the divine beings and the Martial King, Gaia’s Curse was critical to Brahm. Because it hadn’t been that long since his divinity was restored, his legends and divine powers weren’t stable yet, which made this injury even more threatening.

Putting aside his curiosity for how the Sea of Time could possess so many of Gaia’s Curses, Brahm deliberated about what to do next. He wondered if he should enter the shadows and rest, or return to the One-horned tribe since it could be his last and see Sesha and Ananta’s face…

‘Going to see Harmonia…’ After some contemplation, Brahm came to a decision. ‘I should go.’

Brahm smiled wryly and didn’t stop walking. ‘Even if I can possibly guess her answer and she might not care about it as much as I do, it’ll be different to hear it with my own ears. I should go and confirm it for myself.’ Brahm had complained about how stubborn Yeon-woo was, but it occurred to him that he wasn’t much different.

“But where is this?” Brahm looked around the dark forest and narrowed his eyes. He knew the fourth floor was closely associated with the ocean since Poseidon’s Key was the hidden piece, but this place was far from it.

‘Were the coordinates messed up when the lightning touched the portal?’ Brahm knew for certain this was the fourth floor, but he couldn’t figure out exactly where on the floor he was. Even if he tried to open a new portal after setting the coordinates again, it would be difficult since the Book of Pluto had been destroyed and his remaining holy power was being used to block Gaia’s Curse.

Brahm began to feel anxious. He didn’t know how Gaia’s Curse would act up, and if he died without being able to meet Harmonia, there wouldn’t be a more futile death than his.

Just then, a man’s familiar voice rang out, “Is the preparation for the end going well?”

“Of course. Haven’t you seen that the prophecy was able to be carried out smoothly thanks to your efforts?”

And the voice that responded was Harmonia’s, but Brahm wasn’t able to walk toward them. His instinct told him he shouldn’t step up now, so he hid beneath a large tree to listen to their conversation a bit more. It was dark, and the grass grew up to his waist, so he wouldn’t be seen. He quieted his holy power and hid it as well.

“He is also preparing to awaken. This war can be said to be the prelude for his waking.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

“But are you planning to hide it even with the end nearing us?”

“Hide what?”

“Your purpose.”

“Haha. Maybe.”

It was difficult to understand their conversation because Brahm had only listened from the middle. There were only a few words he knew. ‘End? He? Are they talking about the Black King?’

Seeing how Harmonia was discussing the Black King with another person, Brahm also guessed that the man was more of a comrade than a subordinate. He wondered who the man was, since the conversation was a private one…

‘Just the two of them? Alone?’ Brahm felt something burst inside of him. It was a strange emotion, but he soon realized it was jealousy. ‘To think I, who always stressed and prioritized logical thinking, would feel this kind of emotion… I suppose I really have changed.’

From a logical standpoint, Brahm needed to return to the shadows and heal himself. He could always create an opportunity like this in the future, but it would be hard to do so if he was dead. The fact that he had come here because of his emotional judgment was probably due to his personality changing during his time with Sesha and Ananta.

[Gaia’s Curse is spreading at a faster pace!]

Brahm grasped his holy power that began to shake again.

“I still don’t understand why an important subordinate of the Heavenly Demon is trying to help ‘him.’”

“I told you. I want to take the Tower out of this dry spell. And if that’s not possible…” The man trailed off and continued, “Anyway, it’s not bad for the Black King to wake up either, even though I don’t believe in the prophecy you saw. It’ll be quite different from the end I see.”

“Alright. As long as you don’t betray us, I won’t ask any further.”

“Good. That was what the Sea of Time wanted anyway, wasn't it? A world where everyone is equal under the god they served, where everyone’s worth is the same.”

“Everything in this dream is nothing more than an illusion that will disappear.”

“Is that why you planned on using him as the ‘egg?’”

“Yes. I can never become it.” Harmonia’s voice sounded sadly bitter.

“Well, if you say so.”

“I suppose you took a liking to him.”

“I’ve only clashed with him once, but… When I both observed him through my Apostle and with my own eyes, he reminded me of someone from the past.”

The sound of the man lifting something from the ground in preparation to leave echoed in the darkness.

“Then I’ll be off. As we planned, we need to make preparations for the ‘egg’ to awaken on time.” The man turned and headed deeper within the forest. The grass rustled under his feet, and the light coming through the trees illuminated his face before it disappeared.

It was only for a short moment, but Brahm instantly recognized who he was. ‘Hou Yi!’ During the time when he was Brahma, he remembered seeing the moon god who protected the Heavenly Demon’s side.

Hou Yi had been the second-in-power of the Chan Sect, and the teacher of the Chan Sect’s current three leaders. He was also a member of the Trinity Wonder who had opened the Tower. And Hou Yi and Harmonia had been having a mysterious conversation.

Brahm knew Hou Yi had been involved with the Sea of Time, but he was surprised because he didn’t expect to suddenly see him like this. The “egg” they had been discussing was most definitely Yeon-woo, based on their circumstances. In addition to their plans of creating an only god to replace Allforone, it meant they were trying to use Yeon-woo to awaken the Black King…

‘…Could it be?’ Then, a thought occurred to Brahm. He tensed and straightened his back. If his hypothesis was correct, it would be very bad. ‘I have to let others know…!’ Just as he started to feel more urgency, Gaia’s Curse shook his divinity.

[You have failed to control your holy power as a result of losing your focus.]

[‘Gai’s Curse’ shakes your divinity.]

Brahm quickly attempted to reign it back, but it was only after some of his holy power already leaked out.

“Hm?” Hou Yi turned toward Brahm’s direction, having sensed something.

Brahm held his breath. Step. Step. He heard Hou Yi approaching him as if trying to find something. The grass quivered.

“What is it?”

“Just now… Never mind. It’s nothing.” Hou Yi glanced around the grass and shook his head at Harmonia’s voice. However, the suspicion didn’t leave his eyes as he left.

When Hou Yi was gone, Harmonia smiled and spoke in the direction he had just been in. “Why don’t you come out now, Brahm?”

The grass rustled, and Brahm appeared from behind the tree. It could’ve been because of the darkness or Gaia’s Curse, but his dark face was stiffer than ever. “You knew?”

“From the beginning.”

“And you still left me alone.”

“Do you know I’m the one who hid your presence?”

“Why?”

“Since you’re the father of my daughter and the grandfather of my granddaughter.”

“…”

Harmonia spoke as if it was obvious, and Brahm became speechless. Then, he squeezed out his voice. Gaia’s Curse was not completely out of his control and was up to his chin. His hands and feet were about to scatter as dust into the air. “…if that’s what you thought, why did you avoid me? No, why did you leave Ananta?”

Brahm could somewhat understand why Harmonia had left him, but if she thought of Ananta as her daughter and not as the result of an experiment, she couldn’t have left like that. But Harmonia was still composed, saying, “I never lied.”

“What…?!”

“I really died.”

“What?”

“But I woke up again.”

Brahm understood Harmonia only partially, so Harmonia explained, “After being born again, all my connections to my past life were cut off, and there was only one thing that upheld my identity: that I was the successor to carry out his will.”

“…!”

“This time, I’ll ask a question.”

“…”

“Did you hear?”

Brahm was so shocked that he couldn’t reply, and Harmonia let out a deep sigh. “You did.”

Brahm stiffened and tried to muster the last of his holy power when suddenly, light penetrated Brahm from above.

“Ah…!” It was something that Harmonia hadn’t expected, so she widened her eyes. For a short while, Brahm looked at Harmonia with bitter and sad eyes, then scattered into dust. Sssss! Harmonia frantically turned in the direction the light had come from. She saw Hou Yi standing on a branch with his bow pointed toward them.

“So he was here.”

“You…!” For the first time, rage appeared on Harmonia’s face. Swish! An intense aura spun around her.

“So you do know how to make that kind of expression. I thought you were a marionette without any emotions.” Hou Yi just returned his bow on his back and turned around as if his job was done.

“…” Now alone, Harmonia’s gaze wavered.