Endless regression... Chang-Sun did not know how many times Bel-Marduk had gone through the time loop, nor how many Worldlines he had been in. However, it was clear that Bel-Marduk had not succeeded even once. The repeating cycle of failure and despair had exhausted Bel-Marduk, making him who he was now.
That had to be why Bel-Marduk rejected Chang-Sun’s offer of partnership. From Bel-Marduk’s experience, there was no way to defeat Ubbo-Sathla no matter how many Chang-Suns fought together. In the end, Bel-Marduk had concluded that he had to do this on his own by becoming more complete.
That was why Chang-Sun briefly wondered whether it was better to eat Bel-Marduk and elevate his own Divine Class instead of partnering up with Bel-Marduk. Bel-Marduk had to have had a good reason to come to such a conclusion, so Chang-Sun briefly considered whether he had made the right choice. Perhaps, he thought, it was how he could create the last volume to become an Outer Celestial.
‘No, I still can’t do that.’ Chang-Sun suppressed the urge that continued to emerge from deep in his heart. ‘Everything will unravel if I cross the line even once. That was how Bel-Marduk destroyed himself.’
Celestial Cannibalism and gathering <First Star’s Fragments> did not merely mean that one’s <Starlight> would grow brighter. Consuming those fragments was equivalent to absorbing the previous fragment owners’ other <Myths>. If a fragment owner had a history of exercising Celestial Cannibalism, especially when they devoured an entire Worldline like many <Horoscope> Star Signs, it would distort a person’s existing <Myths>, changing their identity.
Would Chang-Sun be the same Chang-Sun in the end? He believed that he would still look like himself, but would never be the same again. In other words, perhaps Bel-Marduk had shared a similar starting line, but he was not Lee Chang-Sun anymore. That was why Chang-Sun had zero intention of eating Bel-Marduk no matter what happened, even if he was victorious.
Nevertheless, it was true that Chang-Sun needed Bel-Marduk’s help. It was clear that Bel-Marduk was hiding something about Ubbo-Sathla. No, even if not for that reason, Chang-Sun thought that Bel-Marduk’s desire to save Ithaca was sincere.
‘...Bel-Marduk must have been watching Ubbo-Sathla in the Nil Domain,’ Chang-Sun speculated.
At first, Chang-Sun had thought that Bel-Marduk was trying to reach the Great Universe’s edge to become an Emperor, but he now realized that he was wrong. Bel-Marduk’s personality as Lee Chang-Sun had been worn down and distorted so much that he was no longer Lee Chang-Sun. The desire to defeat Ubbo-Sathla was Bel-Marduk’s sole drive, so it had to be possible to persuade him.
Rumble, booom!
Staaab―!
The moment Chang-Sun concluded that, Bel-Marduk stabbed him in the chest with Imhullu, the sword of wind and lightning he had used in the middle of his war against Tiamat; golden sparks fiercely flew up from the blade. Golden and sunset-colored lightning energies clashed with each other, spreading shockwaves.
“ It looks like you failed to persuade me,” Bel-Marduk said, smiling coldly as he won a victory after an intense battle that caused the fall of the entire Arcadian civilization. He continued to sneer. “Why did you bother to come at me if you were going to be defeated like this?”
Chang-Sun calmly nodded despite the horrible pain he was in. Perhaps because he had died too many times, he barely felt the fear of imminent death anymore. He answered, “It looks like I did fail.”
“In the end, that is your lim...!”
“Then let’s try again.”
“...What?” Bel-Marduk exclaimed, looking at Chang-Sun dumbfoundedly.
Regardless, Chang-Sun held [Gram] against his neck.
Slash!
[You have died!]
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
The Rollback loop resumed.
* * *
Chang-Sun realized down to his bones that it would not be easy to subdue Bel-Marduk without killing him
[The Divine Ground ‘Twilight-Setting Battlefield’ and the Divine Ground ‘Babylonia’ are clashing!]
Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk were neck and neck with each other. Their skills differed based on the difference in their physical conditions and the situation, but it was still not easy to determine who was the victor. Whenever Chang-Sun won in one clash, Bel-Marduk won another. Chang-Sun had mastered the middle volume of [Prelati’s Spellbook], and Bel-Marduk was the Supreme Celestial of <Horoscope> who had traveled from Worldline to Worldline. It was difficult to say who was stronger.
“I’m truly sick and tired of this!” Bel-Marduk yelled.
He was always furious whenever he fought against Chang-Sun. After every Rollback, he had forgotten everything about what happened before, but...
[The Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’ has unlocked his Myths!]
...
[Playing the Myth ‘Lightning Celestial’s Self-Criticism’.]
At the very start of their every battle, Chang-Sun unlocked all his <Myths> as though he did not care if Bel-Marduk saw them—no, he wanted Bel-Marduk to watch them. Bel-Marduk was truly dumbstruck. A <Myth> was what made up a Celestial, so it was possible to analyze a <Myth> to identify the owner’s weakness, devising a specially designed counterattack technique. Nevertheless, Chang-Sun did not hesitate at all. However, the bigger problem was that most of his <Myths> overlapped with Bel-Marduk’s. Those <Myths> were from a long time ago, so long that Bel-Marduk barely remembered anymore.
[The Myths of the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’ are synchronizing with the Myths of the Celestial ‘Taurus’!]
Because of Chang-Sun, Bel-Marduk had to relive the memories he had forgotten about with great difficulty. Bel-Marduk had tried very hard to surmount Ubbo-Sathla, but it was impossible. The only thing Bel-Marduk could do before Ubbo-Sathla was to be defeated and fall into despair, so he had screamed and poured out his resentment toward <Deus Ex Machina> for giving him such a destiny...
That was why Bel-Marduk could instantly understand Chang-Sun's Rollback loop. It felt as if he was experiencing the Rollback loop together, as he was receiving memories of Chang-Sun’s previous tries during the synchronization, hence his annoyance. However, Bel-Marduk was not the only one who was affected by the <Myth> synchronization, because Chang-Sun was able to take a peek at Bel-Marduk’s hidden <Myths> as well.
“You’re scared,” Chang-Sun blurted out after watching Bel-Marduk venting out his annoyance. Bel-Marduk’s expression darkened as Chang-Sun continued, “Aren’t you? You’re scared that I’ll succeed where you failed.”
“What bullshit are...!”
“It doesn’t make sense otherwise,” Chang-Sun added. Bel-Marduk tightened the grip around [Imhullu], but Chang-Sun ignored him and went on. “You now know for sure how desperate and sincere I am, but you choose to turn a blind eye even until the end, telling yourself that I’ll never succeed.”
“...”
“Yeah, you’re brainwashing yourself, trying to convince yourself that I can’t do it and you’re the only one who can. I was wondering why you were acting stubborn...” Chang-Sun narrowed his eyes as he continued, “...and it looks as if you’re scared that you may have chosen the wrong path.”
“...If you continue to talk bullshit...”
“You already know you won’t get what you want even if you eat me using the Nereid Stone. An Emperor isn’t something you can become using that kind of expedient.”
Bel-Marduk gritted his teeth as hard as he could.
“But you’re trying to finish what you started because that’s the only thing that keeps you going,” Chang-Sun speculated.
He had to change his previous opinion. Bel-Marduk, in truth, was not actually motivated by a drive to maintain his identity as Lee Chang-Sun and keep trying. It was just delusion, or perhaps obstinacy, that drove a ghost of Lee Chang-Sun, one that could crumble down at any moment.
Bel-Marduk likely knew very well that it would know matter how many Lee Chang-Suns he ate or <First Star’s Fragments> he collected. He would never be able to get what he wanted that way, because Ubbo-Sathla continued to grow stronger by eating sacrificial offerings as he traveled from Worldline to Worldline.
The part about becoming the one and only version of himself by eating all the other Lee Chang-Suns also did not make sense, because new Worldlines were created without end. Collecting all the <First Star’s Fragments> was not possible either, because a new fragment was created with the birth of every new Worldline.
However, Bel-Marduk was looking away from all that because the moment he acknowledged those facts, he would be forced to admit that he had been walking down the wrong path. He had been maintaining his identity as Lee Chang-Sun with great difficulty, and it had been his goal to live for all Ithacas. The possibility of driving out Ubbo-Sathla had left him with his final glimmer of hope. And yet, it was all bound to be meaningless.
Bel-Marduk hated that fact, so he had turned down Chang-Sun’s offer multiple times and insisted that he could do it on his own. Yes, he was merely continuing to resist like a child who was claiming that he made the right choice.
Bel-Marduk’s shoulders trembled. The humiliation of all his emotions being divulged was indescribable.
“Am I wrong?” Chang-Sun asked quietly.
At that moment, Bel-Marduk could feel something inside his mind snap.
“Shut up!” Bel-Marduk screamed as he flew at Chang-Sun with reddened eyes.
.
.
[You have died!]
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
* * *
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
Again...
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
And again...
[You have died!]
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
Chang-Sun triggered Rollback several times. Although Bel-Marduk had warned Chang-Sun that triggering more Rollbacks would speed up Ubbo-Sathla’s arrival, Chang-Sun focused on persuading Bel-Marduk, because he could not do anything without having Bel-Marduk on his side even if his choice would ruin Worldline #802 irreversibly.
[<Deus Ex Machina> yells at you to stop your madness, because Worldline #802’s law of causality will be irreparably ruined at this rate!]
[The <Central Management Bureau> has listed you on their main blacklist, closely monitoring all incidents and events related to the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’.]
... The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B1(j)n.
<Deus Ex Machina> vented his pent-up anger after witnessing Chang-Sun intentionally damaging the law of causality, but Chang-Sun continued to trigger Rollback to obtain Bel-Marduk’s cooperation without minding <Deus Ex Machina>.
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
.
.
[<Deus Ex Machina> trembles in anger, muttering that the son of a bitch is ignoring him on purpose.]
.
.
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
.
.
“...Do you really think it’s possible?” Bel-Marduk asked a different question for the first time on Chang-Sun’s 142nd try. Bel-Marduk looked noticeably fatigued, but his eyes were still blazing, ready to kill Chang-Sun if he spoke any nonsense.
Chang-Sun realized that Bel-Marduk was finally ready to listen.
‘Indeed. Sincerity always works.’
[<Deus Ex Machina> grumbles, wondering when in the world blackmail became a synonym for persuading someone with sincerity!]
Pushing away the message from <Deus Ex Machina> to one side, Chang-Sun nodded and replied, “Of course.”
Endless regression... Chang-Sun did not know how many times Bel-Marduk had gone through the time loop, nor how many Worldlines he had been in. However, it was clear that Bel-Marduk had not succeeded even once. The repeating cycle of failure and despair had exhausted Bel-Marduk, making him who he was now.
That had to be why Bel-Marduk rejected Chang-Sun’s offer of partnership. From Bel-Marduk’s experience, there was no way to defeat Ubbo-Sathla no matter how many Chang-Suns fought together. In the end, Bel-Marduk had concluded that he had to do this on his own by becoming more complete.
That was why Chang-Sun briefly wondered whether it was better to eat Bel-Marduk and elevate his own Divine Class instead of partnering up with Bel-Marduk. Bel-Marduk had to have had a good reason to come to such a conclusion, so Chang-Sun briefly considered whether he had made the right choice. Perhaps, he thought, it was how he could create the last volume to become an Outer Celestial.
‘No, I still can’t do that.’ Chang-Sun suppressed the urge that continued to emerge from deep in his heart. ‘Everything will unravel if I cross the line even once. That was how Bel-Marduk destroyed himself.’
Celestial Cannibalism and gathering <First Star’s Fragments> did not merely mean that one’s <Starlight> would grow brighter. Consuming those fragments was equivalent to absorbing the previous fragment owners’ other <Myths>. If a fragment owner had a history of exercising Celestial Cannibalism, especially when they devoured an entire Worldline like many <Horoscope> Star Signs, it would distort a person’s existing <Myths>, changing their identity.
Would Chang-Sun be the same Chang-Sun in the end? He believed that he would still look like himself, but would never be the same again. In other words, perhaps Bel-Marduk had shared a similar starting line, but he was not Lee Chang-Sun anymore. That was why Chang-Sun had zero intention of eating Bel-Marduk no matter what happened, even if he was victorious.
Nevertheless, it was true that Chang-Sun needed Bel-Marduk’s help. It was clear that Bel-Marduk was hiding something about Ubbo-Sathla. No, even if not for that reason, Chang-Sun thought that Bel-Marduk’s desire to save Ithaca was sincere.
‘...Bel-Marduk must have been watching Ubbo-Sathla in the Nil Domain,’ Chang-Sun speculated.
At first, Chang-Sun had thought that Bel-Marduk was trying to reach the Great Universe’s edge to become an Emperor, but he now realized that he was wrong. Bel-Marduk’s personality as Lee Chang-Sun had been worn down and distorted so much that he was no longer Lee Chang-Sun. The desire to defeat Ubbo-Sathla was Bel-Marduk’s sole drive, so it had to be possible to persuade him.
Rumble, booom!
Staaab―!
The moment Chang-Sun concluded that, Bel-Marduk stabbed him in the chest with Imhullu, the sword of wind and lightning he had used in the middle of his war against Tiamat; golden sparks fiercely flew up from the blade. Golden and sunset-colored lightning energies clashed with each other, spreading shockwaves.
“ It looks like you failed to persuade me,” Bel-Marduk said, smiling coldly as he won a victory after an intense battle that caused the fall of the entire Arcadian civilization. He continued to sneer. “Why did you bother to come at me if you were going to be defeated like this?”
Chang-Sun calmly nodded despite the horrible pain he was in. Perhaps because he had died too many times, he barely felt the fear of imminent death anymore. He answered, “It looks like I did fail.”
“In the end, that is your lim...!”
“Then let’s try again.”
“...What?” Bel-Marduk exclaimed, looking at Chang-Sun dumbfoundedly.
Regardless, Chang-Sun held [Gram] against his neck.
Slash!
[You have died!]
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
The Rollback loop resumed.
* * *
Chang-Sun realized down to his bones that it would not be easy to subdue Bel-Marduk without killing him
[The Divine Ground ‘Twilight-Setting Battlefield’ and the Divine Ground ‘Babylonia’ are clashing!]
Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk were neck and neck with each other. Their skills differed based on the difference in their physical conditions and the situation, but it was still not easy to determine who was the victor. Whenever Chang-Sun won in one clash, Bel-Marduk won another. Chang-Sun had mastered the middle volume of [Prelati’s Spellbook], and Bel-Marduk was the Supreme Celestial of <Horoscope> who had traveled from Worldline to Worldline. It was difficult to say who was stronger.
“I’m truly sick and tired of this!” Bel-Marduk yelled.
He was always furious whenever he fought against Chang-Sun. After every Rollback, he had forgotten everything about what happened before, but...
[The Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’ has unlocked his Myths!]
...
[Playing the Myth ‘Lightning Celestial’s Self-Criticism’.]
At the very start of their every battle, Chang-Sun unlocked all his <Myths> as though he did not care if Bel-Marduk saw them—no, he wanted Bel-Marduk to watch them. Bel-Marduk was truly dumbstruck. A <Myth> was what made up a Celestial, so it was possible to analyze a <Myth> to identify the owner’s weakness, devising a specially designed counterattack technique. Nevertheless, Chang-Sun did not hesitate at all. However, the bigger problem was that most of his <Myths> overlapped with Bel-Marduk’s. Those <Myths> were from a long time ago, so long that Bel-Marduk barely remembered anymore.
[The Myths of the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’ are synchronizing with the Myths of the Celestial ‘Taurus’!]
Because of Chang-Sun, Bel-Marduk had to relive the memories he had forgotten about with great difficulty. Bel-Marduk had tried very hard to surmount Ubbo-Sathla, but it was impossible. The only thing Bel-Marduk could do before Ubbo-Sathla was to be defeated and fall into despair, so he had screamed and poured out his resentment toward <Deus Ex Machina> for giving him such a destiny...
That was why Bel-Marduk could instantly understand Chang-Sun's Rollback loop. It felt as if he was experiencing the Rollback loop together, as he was receiving memories of Chang-Sun’s previous tries during the synchronization, hence his annoyance. However, Bel-Marduk was not the only one who was affected by the <Myth> synchronization, because Chang-Sun was able to take a peek at Bel-Marduk’s hidden <Myths> as well.
“You’re scared,” Chang-Sun blurted out after watching Bel-Marduk venting out his annoyance. Bel-Marduk’s expression darkened as Chang-Sun continued, “Aren’t you? You’re scared that I’ll succeed where you failed.”
“What bullshit are...!”
“It doesn’t make sense otherwise,” Chang-Sun added. Bel-Marduk tightened the grip around [Imhullu], but Chang-Sun ignored him and went on. “You now know for sure how desperate and sincere I am, but you choose to turn a blind eye even until the end, telling yourself that I’ll never succeed.”
“...”
“Yeah, you’re brainwashing yourself, trying to convince yourself that I can’t do it and you’re the only one who can. I was wondering why you were acting stubborn...” Chang-Sun narrowed his eyes as he continued, “...and it looks as if you’re scared that you may have chosen the wrong path.”
“...If you continue to talk bullshit...”
“You already know you won’t get what you want even if you eat me using the Nereid Stone. An Emperor isn’t something you can become using that kind of expedient.”
Bel-Marduk gritted his teeth as hard as he could.
“But you’re trying to finish what you started because that’s the only thing that keeps you going,” Chang-Sun speculated.
He had to change his previous opinion. Bel-Marduk, in truth, was not actually motivated by a drive to maintain his identity as Lee Chang-Sun and keep trying. It was just delusion, or perhaps obstinacy, that drove a ghost of Lee Chang-Sun, one that could crumble down at any moment.
Bel-Marduk likely knew very well that it would know matter how many Lee Chang-Suns he ate or <First Star’s Fragments> he collected. He would never be able to get what he wanted that way, because Ubbo-Sathla continued to grow stronger by eating sacrificial offerings as he traveled from Worldline to Worldline.
The part about becoming the one and only version of himself by eating all the other Lee Chang-Suns also did not make sense, because new Worldlines were created without end. Collecting all the <First Star’s Fragments> was not possible either, because a new fragment was created with the birth of every new Worldline.
However, Bel-Marduk was looking away from all that because the moment he acknowledged those facts, he would be forced to admit that he had been walking down the wrong path. He had been maintaining his identity as Lee Chang-Sun with great difficulty, and it had been his goal to live for all Ithacas. The possibility of driving out Ubbo-Sathla had left him with his final glimmer of hope. And yet, it was all bound to be meaningless.
Bel-Marduk hated that fact, so he had turned down Chang-Sun’s offer multiple times and insisted that he could do it on his own. Yes, he was merely continuing to resist like a child who was claiming that he made the right choice.
Bel-Marduk’s shoulders trembled. The humiliation of all his emotions being divulged was indescribable.
“Am I wrong?” Chang-Sun asked quietly.
At that moment, Bel-Marduk could feel something inside his mind snap.
“Shut up!” Bel-Marduk screamed as he flew at Chang-Sun with reddened eyes.
.
.
[You have died!]
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
* * *
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
Again...
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
And again...
[You have died!]
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
Chang-Sun triggered Rollback several times. Although Bel-Marduk had warned Chang-Sun that triggering more Rollbacks would speed up Ubbo-Sathla’s arrival, Chang-Sun focused on persuading Bel-Marduk, because he could not do anything without having Bel-Marduk on his side even if his choice would ruin Worldline #802 irreversibly.
[<Deus Ex Machina> yells at you to stop your madness, because Worldline #802’s law of causality will be irreparably ruined at this rate!]
[The <Central Management Bureau> has listed you on their main blacklist, closely monitoring all incidents and events related to the Celestial ‘Divine Twilight’.]
... The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B1(j)n.
<Deus Ex Machina> vented his pent-up anger after witnessing Chang-Sun intentionally damaging the law of causality, but Chang-Sun continued to trigger Rollback to obtain Bel-Marduk’s cooperation without minding <Deus Ex Machina>.
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
.
.
[<Deus Ex Machina> trembles in anger, muttering that the son of a bitch is ignoring him on purpose.]
.
.
[Rollbacking Worldline #802.]
.
.
“...Do you really think it’s possible?” Bel-Marduk asked a different question for the first time on Chang-Sun’s 142nd try. Bel-Marduk looked noticeably fatigued, but his eyes were still blazing, ready to kill Chang-Sun if he spoke any nonsense.
Chang-Sun realized that Bel-Marduk was finally ready to listen.
‘Indeed. Sincerity always works.’
[<Deus Ex Machina> grumbles, wondering when in the world blackmail became a synonym for persuading someone with sincerity!]
Pushing away the message from <Deus Ex Machina> to one side, Chang-Sun nodded and replied, “Of course.”
