Chapter 169

               

The Great Rift.

A dimensional fissure said to have been born alongside The Abyss.

But unlike ordinary rifts, it was known as a distinctly different void of darkness.

And each time a Great Rift opened, extra-dimensional beings—the ‘Outer Gods’—appeared, singing of the world’s end, mercilessly destroying countless worlds.

The number of Outer Gods that appeared varied each time, yet every one of them was worthy of being called a “god.”

Whenever an Outer God revealed itself, all demons and the progenitors of powerful species within The Abyss joined forces to annihilate them.

Of course, not all Outer Gods were destroyed.

Some were far too powerful—barely sealed away or pushed back into the Great Rift at best.

‘The reason the demons rule The Abyss, and the reason they wage Species Wars to find stronger races, is all preparation for the Great Rift.’

That was what had long been known.

Since The Abyss formed, the Great Rift had officially opened eleven times.

But humanity had never experienced it.

Earth was the most recent world to join The Abyss, and before they could experience a Great Rift, the Dragon God Sephiro erased humanity.

‘So humanity knows nothing about the Great Rift.’

Thus, everything was uncertain.

If Charpham was an Outer God as the Pandarian King suggested, what would happen if he met another Outer God?

What reaction? What phenomenon?

“Your presence is faint, but this feeling… yes. You must be the White Whale.”

For the first time, the Eternal Outer God showed a serious expression.

Until now, he’d worn a playful grin—but the moment Charpham appeared, his gaze trembled faintly, as if nervous.

And he uttered the name ‘White Whale.’

Even the Pandarian King hadn’t known that.

Most importantly, the Outer God spoke to Charpham as if they were acquaintances.

Meaning they had met before.

“……”

Charpham did not answer.

The Outer God continued as if it didn’t matter.

“So you’ve hidden yourself in a new vessel. Becoming that human’s shadow and evading the ‘Defiers’?”

“You know me?”

For the first time, Charpham spoke.

Park Chan-woo left them alone.

‘This is the perfect chance to learn about the Great Rift and the Outer Gods.’

Even on the brink of death, his desire for knowledge did not stop.

Humanity had never experienced this truth of the world.

It might even be the greatest and most important secret.

He wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

Fortunately, the meeting of Outer Gods didn’t cause any catastrophic reaction.

Who knew?

He might find a breakthrough through their conversation.

“You don’t recognize me? I suppose that’s possible. We acted together, but you were only the ‘Gate’ fulfilling the role of Dimensional Interloper. Or… have you forgotten who you are?”

“……”

“Hah! You really forgot! Sealed with your memories. But for the White Whale to be sealed and lose even its identity? Who could do that? Even among the Defiers, none should be able. Their weapons may harm us, but not seal us… Besides, did such a sealing vessel even exist in The Abyss?”

The Outer God muttered ceaselessly.

Amid those mutterings, Park Chan-woo inferred several things.

‘The Defiers must be the Great Nine Lords.’

It was his first time hearing it, yet somehow it made sense.

Likely thanks to the wisdom granted by the Radiant Sage’s Stone.

…The Eternal Outer God knew Charpham well.

More than Charpham knew himself.

But—

‘He doesn’t know the Heavenly Demon sealed Charpham.’

He didn’t even realize Charpham had been sealed.

Also, from his words, even the Outer Gods didn’t all know each other.

Ssk.

The Outer God’s gaze shifted toward Park Chan-woo.

“That shabby human is your sealing vessel? He has no power, no talent, no significance. Hmm. He asked me to erase ‘Terminal.’ A predetermined death… was he referring to you?”

“‘Terminal’ is not me. And—”

This time Charpham turned toward Park Chan-woo.

His gaze was infinitely deep and heavy, like a bottomless abyss.

“This human’s vessel is not something you can judge.”

His voice had no rise or fall.

Unexpectedly, Charpham was sincere.

Being chosen by the Sealed Demon God’s Chalice meant he possessed unfathomable potential.

The name awakened by the Pandarian King—’Heavenly Demon’—was the same.

His memories remained hazy… yet the Heavenly Demon’s talent was demonic.

He truly possessed the ability to reach beyond the “true heavens.”

That confidence was not baseless.

…Park Chan-woo was the same.

Despite countless status ailments, he had overcome every trial with absurd ease.

He had already defeated Master of the Moon Ahheta twice.

If Park Chan-woo were in normal condition, Ahheta would have gone bankrupt long ago.

One could argue he solved things using loopholes and nonexistence, but Charpham didn’t think so.

‘Park Chan-woo would run even wilder at full strength.’

His unstoppable boldness and daring nature—this was Park Chan-woo’s true temperament.

A pioneering spirit that could not be manufactured.

He was born an adventurer.

Even without status ailments weakening him, he wouldn’t have taken the “normal” path.

He would have carved his own path even harder.

The Heavenly Demon was different.

He had unmatched arrogance, dominance, and transcendent talent—but he was, ironically, a coward.

He never took risks.

Always choosing only what was certain.

A perfect undefeated tyrant.

Charpham was thinking this when—

“…You say I cannot judge him? Absurd. There is nothing I do not know. Nothing I cannot pierce through or resolve. I am the God of Eternity, the conclusion of all karma!”

“Then why did you hide?”

Park Chan-woo spoke suddenly.

“…What?”

A hint of anger flickered in the Outer God’s eyes.

He reacted to the accusation of hiding.

Park Chan-woo shrugged.

“When the Great Rift opened, you hid immediately, didn’t you? And you even bargained with Ahheta to hide yourself in this Death Temple. Long enough that Charpham doesn’t remember you. You must have been a rather unimpressive Outer God.”

From the Outer God’s own words, he deduced several things.

He had appeared alongside Charpham in the Great Rift.

He had likely hidden immediately in fear of the Abyssal lords.

Also, he didn’t know the Heavenly Demon, didn’t know Charpham was sealed.

And not a single creator knew the Eternal Outer God was sealed in the Death Temple.

If they did, Park Chan-woo would have known.

Demons gossiped too much for such a secret to be hidden.

All Outer Gods sealed during Great Rifts were well known because Demon Gods managed those territories.

The only way no one knew was if he hid immediately after the Great Rift.

And Ahheta managed to “seal” him only because he remained hidden on his own.

“You are a fearless human. Do you think I cannot kill you? Even without the Warrior’s soul, neither you nor this temple can cage me.”

“Then prove it.”

“Prove it?”

“The ‘Terminal’ ailment on me—Charpham couldn’t erase it. If you can, that means you surpass him.”

“A petty provocation.”

KRRRNG!

RUMBLE—!

A black aura surged from the Outer God.

Malice took shape.

Just that was enough to make the entire temple tremble.

“Ghhh…!!”

“Uaagh…!!”

The orcs’ souls could not withstand it.

They collapsed, screaming in agony.

Even Kankun was pinned to the ground, unable to move.

A clear threat.

He could kill them whenever he wished.

If he wanted them dead, they would have already been annihilated.

“…But very well. I accept your provocation.”

In an instant, the surging aura vanished.

The Outer God smirked, amused.

The provocation worked.

‘This Outer God has a strange inferiority complex toward Charpham.’

From his words, it had been noticeable.

He repeatedly hinted at Charpham’s superiority—talking about sealing vessels, knowledge, and forgotten identity.

And Charpham’s one sentence shook him emotionally.

Deep down, he saw Charpham as “above” him.

Park Chan-woo exploited that.

‘He was never going to grant the wish properly.’

From the start, he never intended to grant Ahheta’s wish or his.

He only pretended to grant them—giving false hope to use them for himself.

To force him to truly erase Terminal, only this method would work.

‘…Though his wish-granting power itself is real.’

He had been reborn as the “strongest lifeform.”

He had essentially created a new species.

Though he wasn’t fully developed yet, once completed, he would likely rival the Twelve Progenitors.

Ssk.

The Eternal Outer God approached and extended his hand.

At the same time—

Tap.

Park Chan-woo’s bodily functions stopped.

He couldn’t breathe.

Mana circulation halted.

A perfect frozen state.

Not just him.

The ‘world itself’ stopped.

Time, space—everything froze.

Only the Outer God could move.

“I shall grant your wish. Immediately. Consider it an honor. I rarely grant wishes this quickly. The price… will be your soul. Once I erase Terminal, I shall consume you and Charpham together.”

Immediate, forced wish-execution.

The highest divine authority the Eternal Outer God possessed.

But even he could not use immediate execution endlessly.

It was the highest-tier miracle—skipping all processes and conditions.

At most, three times.

Two had been used long ago.

‘This is his third and final immediate execution.’

He had avoided using it for ages.

Even Ahheta’s wish—aligned with his own interests—was not granted immediately.

But if the price was Charpham and his sealing vessel, he would use it.

“Erase the status ailment ‘Terminal.’ Remove death.”

He would prove he surpassed Charpham—and then consume him.

Erasing a status ailment.

Erasing someone’s death.

It was one of the easiest wishes.

He had fulfilled miracles far greater countless times.

Compared to those, a simple ailment was laughably trivial.

The Outer God’s greatest authority manifested.

The wish reached toward Park Chan-woo’s status ailment—‘Terminal.’

Then—

“What… what is this…?”

The Outer God’s eyes trembled violently.

Even when facing Charpham, he hadn’t reacted like this.

It wasn’t simply because he touched Terminal.

It was what he ‘saw’ within it.

The shape—the concept.

“What… are you…?!”

Even a being who called himself a god could not comprehend it.

Everything and nothing.

What he touched returned all authority and wishes into ‘nothingness.’

Then—

Above Park Chan-woo, wrapped in the form of a black reaper—

‘It’ spoke.

【I am Death.】

The true ‘Death’ awakened.