Monopolizing Skills to the 666th Floor - Chapter 117

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Skill Devouring to the 666th Floor Episode 117

 

117. The Three Gods’ Plan

 

The Three Gods had a plan.

 

Select the 12 most outstanding individuals from among the apostles they had chosen.

 

Make them Apostles of the Three Gods of All Things to maximize their abilities.

 

After that, lead a raid party under their own guidance to conquer the Labyrinth – that was the main plan.

 

However.

 

[The Regressor even took Wang Ho Wei!]

 

[Didn’t I tell you? That human is planning to steal all our apostles!]

 

[Tae Seong… I didn’t see him that way, but he had such a dark scheme.]

 

The Three Gods’ dissatisfaction reached its peak at Lee Tae Seong’s actions of incorporating their apostles one by one into the Amon Guild.

 

It clearly seemed like he intended to ruin their plan to create a raid party.

 

[He knows because he’s a Regressor. That we’re going to select the Twelve Apostles.]

 

[But why is he trying to ruin it? What’s wrong with creating a raid party?]

 

[Don’t make hasty judgments. Perhaps he’s simply trying to create his own guild?]

 

[That’s the problem, Kairos! If he becomes the guild leader, what about our dignity?]

 

[That’s right. Let’s assume all Twelve Apostles join the Amon Guild. Then, whose orders will the apostles follow?]

 

[Hmm…]

 

The reason the Three Gods wanted to form the Twelve Apostles.

 

It was to make them into chess pieces that would obey their every word.

 

But with their current incorporation into Lee Tae Seong’s guild, that had become difficult.

 

If they lost the initiative, they wouldn’t be able to proceed with the conquest as they pleased.

 

[We need to do something before more apostles are stolen.]

 

[What exactly should we do? How can we stop him from recruiting them into his guild?]

 

[Couldn’t it be a coincidence? Let’s refrain from viewing Tae Seong too negatively just because Terra was taken.]

 

[Do you think I’m doing this because of Terra right now?!]

 

[…]

 

Emotions had become too heated.

 

Internal division was about to occur because of one Regressor.

 

[How about we call Tae Seong instead? Let’s hear his thoughts. Why he’s forming his own raid party.]

 

[Right. Ask him directly. Sometimes honest conversation can be the answer.]

 

[Fine. Let’s do that.]

 

The three summoned Lee Tae Seong to the Eternal Room.

 

Though they weren’t sure if he would respond to the call.

 

[The other party has accepted. One soul enters the Eternal Room.]

 

Fortunately, Lee Tae Seong accepted immediately.

 

 

‘What business do these guys have to invite me?’

 

Before responding to the Three Gods’ call, I thought for a moment.

 

And soon I was able to reach a conclusion.

 

‘They want to ask about the current situation, don’t they?’

 

As soon as I recruited Wang Ho Wei into the guild, an invitation message to the Eternal Room appeared.

 

Then what else could it be besides matters regarding the raid party?

 

‘Should I speak honestly? Or…’

 

I was conflicted.

 

How should I speak to extract more Terra from them?

 

‘Yes, that would be good.’

 

Having organized my thoughts, I pressed the accept button and entered the Eternal Room.

 

“It’s been a while, Three Gods. Have you been well?”

 

[We’ve been well. Have you been well too, Tae Seong?]

 

“Thanks to the Three Gods’ care, I’ve been doing well.”

 

First, we exchanged greetings.

 

“But what business do you have with me…?”

 

Then we got to the main point.

 

[Ahem, we called you because we have something to ask.]

 

“What is it?”

 

[Tae Seong, you recently created a guild…]

 

“You saw that? Yes, why do you ask?”

 

[What’s the reason for creating the guild?]

 

As expected, my prediction was correct.

 

‘They must be worried about losing control of the raid party.’

 

I deliberately tilted my head.

 

“I don’t understand the intent behind your question.”

 

[Isn’t that right? Currently, there’s no Apostle on Earth as strong as you. So why would you need to create a guild?]

 

“No, what I mean is, I don’t understand why that would rub the Three Gods the wrong way. Everyone’s making guilds these days, so I just followed the trend. There’s nothing to lose by making a guild, right? It’s good for managing Apostles, and I can make money on the side too.”

 

[Hmm… That is a valid point, but…]

 

[Ah geez, let me speak! This is so frustrating!]

 

Instead of Kairos, who trailed off unable to find a counterargument, Orcus stepped forward.

 

[Human! I’ll be direct. Why are you stealing our Apostles?]

 

“I’m stealing Apostles? What do you mean by that?”

 

[Ha! Playing dumb again? You think we don’t know you’re handpicking only the capable ones among the Apostles of the Three Gods to join your guild?]

 

“…”

 

I deliberately remained silent.

 

As if I’d been caught.

 

Orcus, emboldened by this, shouted even louder.

 

[I got it right, didn’t I? You look like you’re screwed now!]

 

“It’s a misunderstanding. It was just a coincidence…”

 

[Coincidence? Most of the Apostles you’ve recruited to your guild are our Apostles, and you call that coincidence?]

 

“Seo Mina, Han So Ra, and Jason aren’t your Apostles.”

 

[But the rest are all our Apostles! Weihao, Wang Ho Wei, Park Se Hee, and even Hiromune!]

 

“That’s only four people though?”

 

[Well, that’s true, but… four is still a lot!]

 

Orcus was slightly flustered but still pressed on.

 

With his argument.

 

[Tell me! Is this something that can be dismissed as coincidence?]

 

“Isn’t it natural to want capable Apostles as team members?”

 

[But why specifically the Apostles we chose?]

 

“Because they’re capable.”

 

Orcus snorted.

 

[Hmph! You’re not being honest. You think I don’t know your scheme?]

 

“My scheme?”

 

[You knew we were planning to form a raid party, so you preemptively stole them away.]

 

“…”

 

[Look at that expression. It’s the face of someone who’s been completely exposed.]

 

[Indeed. As they say, a guilty conscience needs no accuser. You must be hiding something.]

 

[Exactly.]

 

Harmonion chimed in from the side.

 

They’re a perfect match.

 

‘Should I stop here and move to the next phase?’

 

Whew, I deliberately let out a big sigh.

 

“You caught me. Fine. Since it’s come to this, I’ll tell you the truth.”

 

I began my operation to deceive the Three Gods.

 

“Before my Regression, the Three Gods formed a raid party. You selected the most outstanding elites among your Apostles and made them into the Twelve Apostles. There were even rankings based on skill. 1st place was Joshua, 2nd was Hiromune, 3rd was Wang Ho Wei, 4th was Weihao… 11th was me, 12th was Park Se Hee.”

 

Whew, I sighed again and continued.

 

“So what was the first thing the Three Gods did after forming this raid party?”

 

[Attack the Labyrinth?]

 

“No. It was killing other Apostles.”

 

[What?]

 

[We did…?]

 

[…]

 

The Three Gods looked somewhat shocked.

 

But it was a lie.

 

The Three Gods wouldn’t do such pointless things.

 

‘The Three Gods were only interested in attacking the Labyrinth. It’s just that they gave shitty orders that resulted in many casualties.’

 

It was a fabricated fact, but the current Three Gods had no choice but to believe whatever I said.

 

Since they don’t remember their past lives.

 

[That’s absurd… What’s the reason? Why would we try to kill humans?]

 

“It was intended to demonstrate the power of the Twelve Apostles. It was a radical decision made to control disobedient humans. And to eliminate competitors while you were at it.”

 

[That’s ridiculous. Did we really do that?]

 

“Yes. Unfortunately, it’s true.”

 

[Don’t lie! Do you think humans would kill their own kind just because we told them to?]

 

“What if you sent a system message saying they had to kill another Apostle? Wouldn’t anyone be fooled? And if you offered the sponsorship they naturally deserve as a reward? They’d probably go crazy just for the reward.”

 

[….]

 

“It was truly a tragic incident. I joined the raid party late, so I only heard the details afterward.”

 

The Three Gods fall silent.

 

Their faces show disbelief that they commanded humans to kill each other.

 

It’s not because of guilt.

 

They just can’t rationally accept it.

 

Still, it wasn’t an entirely unrealistic lie.

 

‘They didn’t do it then, but the Three Gods are perfectly capable of giving such orders. They only think of humans as chess pieces for conquest anyway.’

 

I sighed again and entered acting mode.

 

“To prevent such incidents, I tried to recruit former members of the Twelve Apostles. If they were under my command, I could at least stop them before they did such crazy things.”

 

[No, we have no intention of giving such orders anyway. So you don’t need to gather guild members.]

 

“Well, even if you say that, who knows if you’ll send messages later ordering the massacre of Apostles?”

 

[We said we won’t!]

 

“Sorry, but I can’t believe that. I’ll manage the Twelve Apostles myself.”

 

[Geez, this is driving me crazy.]

 

Orcus scratches his head frantically with a frustrated expression.

 

The other gods weren’t much different.

 

[Let me be clear, we have no intention of killing humans!]

 

“But you actually did kill them.”

 

[That was before the regression!]

 

“There’s no guarantee that what happened before regression won’t repeat.”

 

[Listen, Tae Seong. Can’t you trust us a little?]

 

“Conversely, why don’t the Three Gods try trusting me? Is giving me command of the Twelve Apostles really that unpleasant?”

 

[….]

 

The Three Gods close their mouths.

 

Of course they’d hate it.

 

Would they want to just watch like bystanders forever?

 

They’d want to enjoy the game by manipulating the Apostles to their liking.

 

‘But if I gather and lead the Twelve Apostles through the means of a guild?’

 

The Three Gods can’t give orders to the Apostles as they please.

 

Because the guild is entirely under my command as the master.

 

[Why are you interfering so much? In our business?]

 

“Interfering? You speak as if it’s someone else’s business. Aren’t we comrades in the same boat for conquering the Labyrinth?”

 

[Then you should believe what your comrades say!]

 

“I can’t believe just words. Not with your past actions.”

 

Orcus’s expression hardens at my words.

 

He seems to have realized I want something.

 

[What do we need to do for you to believe us?]

 

“Give me Terra.”

 

[What…?]

 

[Again?]

 

[….]

 

Their reaction is quite intense.

 

They clearly show how much they value Terra.

 

“If each of you gives me Terra, I won’t recruit any more members. It means I won’t care what the Three Gods do when gathering the Twelve Apostles.”

 

[Gi-giving Terra is too much!]

 

“This much is necessary for me to believe you. Don’t tell me you lack even this much resolve?”

 

[….]

 

“What will it be? Will you give Terra and create a raid party to your liking, or will you give up and just watch from behind like now?”

 

[Wa-wait. Let us discuss among ourselves….]

 

[Could you step outside? Regressor?]

 

“Yes, sure.”

 

I left the Eternal Room and waited leisurely.

 

Seeing that he didn’t refuse outright and was actually contemplating it, it seemed he truly found it hard to give up the pleasure of using humans as chess pieces.

 

‘Well, obviously.’

 

Soon after, a message appeared.

 

[Through the Divine Authority of Orcus, God of the Underworld, you can temporarily use the ‘Eternal Room’.]

 

[Would you like to enter the Eternal Room? Y/N]

 

When I pressed accept, I could see the Three Gods with a grave expression.

 

“Have you decided?”

 

[Yeah.]

 

So what would the Three Gods’ choice be?

 

[I’ll… hand over Terra.]

 

His voice was almost tearful.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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