Chapter 619
The [Mantra Grand Temple], where countless lotus flowers bloomed.
Surrounded by serene and breathtaking nature, Brahma and several divine beings stood there, waiting for someone.
Gulp—
The sound of dry throats swallowing echoed throughout.
Even though tens of millions of soldiers guarded the temple like an iron fortress, the dark clouds rolling in from afar made fear inevitable.
“They’re coming…”
Someone muttered softly.
At that moment—
Boom!
A heavy shockwave struck the temple gates.
Ssshhh—
The lotus petals turned black, and the crystal-clear water darkened into ink.
“The Mantra Grand Temple, huh… what a damned remote place.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Tch! Calling all of us out for a war—those Celestial bastards never learn to wipe their own asses.”
There was not a trace of divinity among them.
Their auras were sinister and dark, far deeper than even the demons’.
And among them—
“Silence. That idiot Brahma must’ve had a reason to summon us.”
It was [Asura], one of the most fearsome beings on the 45th floor and a sworn enemy of the Three Supreme Gods.
Each of his faces looked in a different direction, and six arms held bizarre weapons, each exuding killing intent.
At Asura’s irritated growl, the other divine beings clamped their mouths shut immediately.
They knew that one more word could mean having their limbs torn apart on the spot.
The army of demon beasts crossed the lotus pond, climbing the temple steps.
Brahma greeted them with a bright smile.
“Must’ve been a long and tiring journey. I would’ve come to greet you outside myself, but you know how it is—I get hives when I spend too long among lowly beings.”
“Cut the crap, Brahma. Jinhyuk, or whatever his name is, I’ll crush your skull first.”
Rumble!
A deadly aura surged outward.
A light that mixed overwhelming hatred and rage.
The soldiers nearby collapsed one after another, crushed by sheer pressure.
“Hahaha. Easy there. I didn’t mean to offend you. The enemy’s troublesome, that’s all. I just needed to make sure your power was still as terrifying as ever.”
“…And?”
“Looks like it still is.”
Brahma smiled faintly.
Asura and the most vicious beasts of Celestial Order had all gathered.
At this point, even the mightiest pantheons would crumble before such power.
And with Asura joining in…
Even if Olympus or the Norse pantheon were at their peaks, they wouldn’t come close to Celestial Order’s strength right now.
‘This will be a one-sided slaughter. The Alliance’s total forces combined barely equal one of our regiments.’
Roughly a 3,000-to-1 gap.
A staggering difference in scale.
And then—
[Through the ‘Dimensional Rift’, the great archmage ‘Aperman’ and his elven army have joined the battlefield!]
[Through the ‘Dimensional Rift’, the black wolves and pureblood ‘Raktak’ have joined the battlefield!]
More elite reinforcements poured in.
The backdoor he had prepared had paid off handsomely.
Now, the advantage was completely his.
But just then—
Boom!
“L-Lord Brahma!”
The northern gate of the temple burst open with a thunderous crash.
A soldier, pale as death, stood in the doorway.
“It’s… a disaster!”
The flames of war had erupted where they least expected—and with terrifying intensity.
—
“Ah-choo! Ah-choo! What the—? The weather’s perfect, did I catch a spring cold or something?”
Jinhyuk sneezed repeatedly.
His chest itched, and even his ears tingled.
“Someone must be cursing your name right now.”
“Well, can you blame them? We’re doing things that’d make anyone swear. Honestly, I’m amazed humans can even imagine pulling this off.”
Thor and Heracles both clicked their tongues.
Who wouldn’t, after all?
Boom! Boom! Boom!
They were, quite literally, demolishing an entire civilization.
Temples, statues, and grand monuments—all reduced to rubble.
“No… no, please…”
“Stop! Not that one!”
“The gods will punish you for this!”
Villagers wept as their holy city crumbled before their eyes.
Jinhyuk ignored them completely, focusing on the glowing messages before him.
[By destroying the ‘5,000-Year-Old Statue,’ Celestial Order’s Prestige decreases by 1,500,000.]
[By destroying the ‘Stone Pagoda of the High Monk,’ Celestial Order’s Prestige decreases by 2,770,000.]
[By destroying the ‘Tablet Engraved with Rudra’s Handprint,’ Celestial Order’s Prestige decreases by 35,520,000.]
Prestige.
Unlike other realms, Celestial Order on the 45th floor built its divine power through unique means—creating art, monuments, and holy structures symbolizing themselves.
The grander and older, the more precious it was.
And that was exactly why Jinhyuk had come here.
[Ruins: Asensman Village]
Prestige: 15,000,000
Description: The beloved village of the great god Rudra, home to around 5,000 treasures and relics. Among them, the ‘Rudra Stone Pagoda,’ crafted by the villagers of Asensman, is a sacred artifact rich with memories shared by many Celestial deities.
Perfect. If you’re going to start something, make it flashy.
Jinhyuk pulled out a massive hammer—the [Blacksmith’s Hammer] he’d ripped from Orun.
“Ptoo! Ptoo!”
That cool, familiar grip.
Back when he was a BJ, whenever funds ran low, he’d take up manual labor.
He’d once been a rising star—no, a legend on the construction sites.
Welding, plumbing, wiring, concrete—he could do it all.
But his true specialty was…
Crash! Crack!
“Demolition.”
He was born for breaking things.
The site manager used to call him “the Bulldozer of Godok” and even tried to renegotiate his pay rate because he was too efficient.
That old foreman might’ve wept when Jinhyuk quit—but this was a far grander site to wreck.
A grin spread across his lips.
‘They’ll panic for sure.’
Only the chief gods of Celestial Order knew that their prestige was tied to their relics.
For some outsider human to know that and target them directly? It would drive them mad.
They’d definitely chase after him.
“This is how I plan to lure them in—by striking where it hurts most.”
Jinhyuk drew a rough map on the ground with a branch.
Crude, but detailed—terrain, landmarks, and movement routes all marked clearly.
“Hm. Do we really need all that strategy? If we just take down their gods like before, the rest will crumble.”
Heracles stroked his chin.
“Exactly! Let’s just go head-on!”
Thor nodded vigorously in agreement.
Muscleheads—always the same. No brain cells to spare.
Just imagining leading these idiots made Jinhyuk’s head ache.
“No. If we fight in the open again, we’ll lose. The numbers are too overwhelming.”
The sneak attack on Rudra had worked only because it shattered their expectations during the vanguard battle.
They wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice.
Not when they had monsters like Asura—and possibly Shiva or Vishnu could appear at any time.
So instead—
“We’ll choose the battlefield. Somewhere that gives us the advantage.”
There was one place where Celestial Order could be ambushed effectively.
A place where even a small force could stand against an army.
Jinhyuk’s eyes gleamed with confidence.
He was certain of victory—certain he could save everyone.
“Very well…”
“We’ll follow your lead.”
“You seem to know this place well. We’ll trust you completely.”
The divine beings clapped their hands in agreement.
Amid their thunderous cheers, Jinhyuk bowed deeply.
And so, none of them noticed the faint smirk of mockery curling on his lips.
‘…Hook, line, and sinker.’
He’d earned their complete trust.
While these meat shields fought desperately on the frontlines, he’d quietly snatch the lotus relic and finish this perfectly.
Minimal risk. Maximum reward.
That was the motto of Veteran Corporation.
—
Meanwhile—
Upon hearing that Jinhyuk had razed Asensman Village to dust, Brahma urgently gathered his forces.
‘I can’t believe I misread him.’
He had been certain Kang Jinhyuk was racing against time—trying to save humanity before the Covenant activated.
Just like when Olympus fell, he assumed Jinhyuk’s main army would draw attention while a small elite team—the Veteran Corporation—targeted him and the other gods directly.
But instead…
Jinhyuk’s actions leaned toward a long, drawn-out campaign.
Destroying Prestige was effective, yes—but also time-consuming and resource-heavy.
Which meant—
‘He doesn’t care if the Covenant activates… or if humanity perishes.’
Heh. Of course.
To expect the man betrayed by humanity to still save it—what foolish idealism.
Damn it.
He needed to move fast.
Before that bastard turned everything to ash.
Just then—
“Hmph. So, they created a link between the human world and the 45th floor.”
“How fascinating. Is this the power of the so-called greatest mythology?”
“Heheh. And to think I found it with my excellent mana detection skills.”
A group appeared—figures completely out of place among Celestial Order.
Raktak, Aperman, and several sentient S-rank bosses.
“You came just in time. We’re moving to capture Kang Jinhyuk. Join us. Elves and wolves will take the lead—you’re best suited for pursuit.”
Brahma issued his orders the instant he saw them, his tone dripping with condescension.
The bosses frowned.
Raktak bared his fangs, but Aperman raised a hand to stop him.
“You’re telling me to let this go?”
“No need to fight allies. That’s what I mean.”
Aperman snapped his fingers.
Clack!
“Anyway, I brought you a nice little gift… would be rude if you ignored it.”
[Lv45 ‘Invisible Sight’ has been lifted.]
Vwooom!
The air shimmered—and familiar faces appeared where there had been none.
“Ugh…”
Alice.
“Where are we…?”
“The enemy’s stronghold?”
Chun Yoosung, Teresa, and other members of the Veteran Corporation stood there, lined up together.
“So tell me—after this, do you really think we’ll be taking orders from you?”
Aperman smirked, raising his shoulders.
“Oh?”
Brahma’s eyes narrowed.
The faces of the other divine beings shifted completely.
They hadn’t imagined even for a moment that the enemy’s core members could be captured.
And Alice, of all people.
“How interesting.”
Among the Operators’ highest demands—Unknown’s personal request—was this.
If they could use the head of Ataraxia’s family as a hostage, the possibilities were limitless.