I Became a Mythical Hunter After Killing the Golden Goblin - Chapter 164
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 164. Holy Divine Celestial Demon (2)
The ranking tournament was fierce. Whether it was because the martial artists who had climbed this far were exceptionally skilled, or because they couldn’t resist the sweet allure of rewards offered by the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion, they competed fiercely to raise even a single position.
Watching them, I clicked my tongue inwardly. No matter how hard they try, the Celestial Demon has already been decided.
I possess all three conditions necessary to become a Celestial Demon: the Heavenly Demon Territory, the Celestial Demon Body, and the Celestial Demon Divine Art. Furthermore, I’ve even received the Holy Divine Celestial Demon class from the System along with a title, so the only thing lacking is the most important one.
That is, the title obtainable from the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion itself, not from the System. Perhaps “recognition” would be a more accurate term than “title.”
What remains is merely the recognition of me as the 40th Celestial Demon. Of course, receiving such recognition doesn’t mean I would be bound by the constraints of a Celestial Demon.
It was only natural. What creator would bind themselves to the constraints they created? The restrictions imposed by the Primordial Demon God have no effect on me whatsoever.
Well, I do intend to honor the restrictions created among the Celestial Demons themselves—namely, leaving a portion of my soul in the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion.
It was only natural. In a sense, it’s precisely because of that restriction that the law stating Celestial Demons can only be killed by other Celestial Demons is established.
The First Heavenly Demon was truly clever in how they utilized Solomon’s restriction in that manner. Strictly speaking, the constraint that Celestial Demons can only be killed by other Celestial Demons isn’t entirely accurate to call it merely Solomon’s restriction.
In any case, the ranking tournament finally ended after an intense competition.
〖The rankings have been determined.〗
〖1st Place: Holy Divine Celestial Demon
2nd Place: Frost Ice Celestial Demon
3rd Place: Big Dipper Celestial Demon
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.
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48th Place: Private Resentment Sun Celestial Demon〗
Having overcome the trials of Sectors 51-89 previously, they were granted Celestial Demon titles in abbreviated form, so titles were written instead of names.
Of course, those titles were merely illusions that would be revoked if they failed to complete the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion. Everyone could only accept the results, finding their titles and either smiling or grimacing.
The fortunate part was that even those ranked lower weren’t immediately eliminated. They could only console themselves with that fact and enjoy the sweet rewards offered by the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion.
The rewards were simple, straightforward, yet extraordinary.
〖Reward: Your soul’s grade increases according to your ranking.〗
The grade of one’s soul—truthfully, it wasn’t a reward that resonated deeply with me. Since my grade had expanded dramatically upon ascending to the Divine Being rank, I couldn’t properly feel its effects.
At best, my presence became more distinct, making it easier to exert pressure on those around me. Most importantly, the power of the Celestial Demon Divine Spirit grew stronger.
An inexplicable exhilaration began rising rapidly from deep within my body, and soon, my limits burst forth explosively.
And it was at that moment—a System message appeared, not a message from the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion.
〚Your soul’s grade has risen beyond an unfathomable limit!〛
〚The curse binding you cannot overcome that unfathomable grade and is largely neutralized!〛
My soul had reached the realm of the Divine Beings. Or rather, even if it hadn’t quite reached the grade of the Divine Seats, it must have at least reached the level of Transcendents.
I couldn’t feel it, but it was certainly an enormous development. And for good reason.
〚Authority: The shell protecting the Curse of Misfortune shatters completely, leaving only one layer remaining.〛
〚With the continued rise of your soul’s grade, the Curse of Misfortune, which had been forcibly dormant, convulses and is forced to reveal itself.〛
〚Shatter the final shell. Then you shall seize fate in your hands.〛
The Curse of Misfortune—that creature which had suppressed its presence for what felt like an eternity, waiting for its moment—suffered an enormous blow.
Just one more time. If I overwhelmingly crush and defeat it one final time….
“I’ll finally be able to break free from this damned curse.”
As a bonus, the levels of my authorities all rose simultaneously. Levels that hadn’t increased even when I was reborn as a Divine Being.
Only then could I begin to understand the true meaning of soul grade. In the end, soul grade was simple.
The culmination of everything a single individual possesses.
Upon obtaining the Divine Demon form and arrogance, I achieved a status befitting the Divine Beings. Unlike when I first became a Divine Being and received no notable rewards, this time—having transcended causality through these rewards and elevated my status—my Authority levels surged dramatically across the board.
Equivalent Exchange. Fortune. The Curse of Misfortune. Heavenly Slayer Star Demon Body. Arrogance.
All these magnificent Authorities rose simultaneously, each climbing between one and three levels.
“Fortune and the Curse of Misfortune have reached level seven.”
Previously, through self-strengthening, my future Authorities had elevated themselves, but even accounting for that, this growth was extraordinary. Yet I couldn’t decide whether to rejoice or worry.
If the Curse of Misfortune reached level seven, I had no idea what calamities it would bring upon me. I sighed with concern, but soon steadied myself by reflecting on my enhanced state.
‘Fortune has also reached level seven.’
With Misfortune dormant, Fortune began accumulating its power. I had no doubt it would favor me in the final battle. Before long, I followed the martial artists who had already moved into the 91st Zone, advancing to the next sector.
***
A world where everything had died. A Destroyed Dimension. Within that death, stripped even of its name, an entity opened its eyes.
Crimson eyes blazed like fire, spewing hatred and rage, as a gaunt and frail body rose to its feet.
Standing atop the Emperor’s coffin where he had slumbered, he gazed down upon the world.
In a world so desolate and barren that not a trace of life could be found, the man burst into laughter.
With laughter tinged by madness and satisfaction, he composed himself, closed his eyes, and began exhaling black Celestial Demon energy from his entire body.
“At last, the time has come.”
He had crossed dimensions—by forcibly wielding the power of Bi-dong.
Trapped by that cursed constraint, unable to reincarnate and eternally imprisoned within Bi-dong, he had despised it. So he proceeded in secret, unknown to the other Celestial Demons, and succeeded.
Thus his soul reincarnated anew upon this land, and through the knowledge and power of a Celestial Demon, his remaining Authorities and Celestial Demon Divine Art, he became the king of this world.
And he destroyed it.
The reason was simple. Trivial. Pathetic. Irritating.
Humans who barked endlessly without knowing their place, martial artists with insect-like power that couldn’t even match his own, and moreover, the signs of apocalypse that hung over the world.
He was an Emperor and a tyrant, and as one reborn, he decided the world’s destruction and carried it out.
It was not difficult. He too was a Celestial Demon—an absolute being who had dominated an era, and after death, his soul was enshrined in Bi-dong, allowing him to inherit fragments of knowledge from other Celestial Demons.
He merely followed the World Annihilation technique contained within the knowledge of the Seven Celestial Demons. He simply hastened the inevitable destruction of a doomed dimension.
And then he put himself to sleep.
A new dimension! Not this cursed, pathetic, and weak one, but one where he could indulge himself far more pleasantly!
He halted his own life and waited until the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion would open anew. For thousands of years, he waited.
And finally, that time had come. As a Celestial Demon, he had once bound his soul to the Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion and crossed dimensions using its power, so his soul still retained its connection to Bi-dong.
A gaunt frame. Yet radiating a sharp killing intent that belied his withered form—a calamity beginning to move.
The Heavenly Slayer Star Demon—one of the most catastrophic Celestial Demons, in whose wake blood tribulations arise, toward whom death flows, and in whose era only ruin remains.
Though he had endured for thousands of years in a dying world, his power had diminished greatly, and he had been forced to expend most of his remaining strength to cross dimensions.
Yet the power of a calamity that had lived through multiple eras was not to be underestimated.
The power of Bi-dong, connected to his soul, began to permeate his entire being. Life returned to his seemingly dying body, his fractured and weakened soul recovered, and the moment his crimson eyes snapped open—
Space twisted and shattered with a sound like crackling electricity.
The dimensional barriers warped and then reconnected.
“My homeland, after so long.”
The calamity laughed. To find his amusement, to discover a new dimension to become his sacrifice.
“I wonder if there exists anything capable of capturing my interest before I reincarnate into a new body.”
He needed entertainment after such an age. The scent of blood and the smell of death called to him.
Trembling with excitement, Misfortune moved through the fractured space. Thus, the final trial of the 99th Zone in Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion was transformed.
From a realm of choice to a realm of calamity.
Originally, it had been an easy zone where warriors gained recognition as new Celestial Demons based on the choices of existing Celestial Demons, but now it had become a trial against Misfortune—a calamity that had single-handedly destroyed an entire world, even if greatly weakened.
Though none of the warriors participating in Bi-dong yet knew this truth.
***
〚Misfortune awakened from slumber weaves the ill fortune it casts before you into an even more intense tapestry, leading toward annihilation.〛
The moment I arrived at the 91st Zone, what greeted me was not the inscriptions of Bi-dong, but the irritation and fury of Misfortune, freshly roused from sleep.
“Causing trouble the moment it wakes up.”
A situation that naturally invited curses. Yet this was as I had anticipated. I had certainly expected this Bi-dong trial to be so difficult it rivaled one of Heracles’ Twelve Labors, but it proved to be nothing of the sort.
Among the remaining nine zones, something would surely emerge—a trial so catastrophic it could kill me.
‘The Celestial Demons simply wanted to make me one of them easily, and whoever is manipulating this Heavenly Demon Flying Pavilion seems to be subtly helping me….’
An unforeseen accident. I could think of it no other way. And that accident was so enormous it could pierce through my very neck.
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t afraid. But I would have time to prepare.
‘If I only knew which zone it would appear in.’
I could activate Longinus then. The moment I thought this—
Kuguguguung!
A tremendous roar echoed through Bi-dong as if an earthquake had struck, accompanied by violent tremors. Simultaneously, the information about the 91st Zone that had been drawn across the sky shattered, and everyone felt this abnormality, their brows furrowing in silence.
And in that moment, an elderly figure whom all knew appeared in the center of the 91st Zone.
“The 91st Zone is a realm of judgment. Show the bearing a Celestial Demon must possess as an absolute ruler of this land.”
The warriors were startled by the sudden appearance of the First Heavenly Demon, but as black malevolent entities materialized behind the old man, they drew their weapons.
A fortunate trial, in a way. All that was required was to kill the enemies.
“The team achieving the lowest contribution will be eliminated.”
The moment those words ended, the malevolent entities rushed toward the warriors, and just as their battle was about to begin—
“Great Demon God.”
The First Heavenly Demon, who had appeared behind me at some point, spoke to me.
“A Celestial Demon who abandoned his homeland has returned here as a calamity. Be cautious of the 99th Zone. His very existence was malice and disaster both in life and after death. Though he has lost most of his power, he remains dangerous.”
And those words were no different from telling me this trial could be ended far too easily.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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