On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 17: Silently Crawling Nightmare

However insignificant they may be, the overwhelming number of the red ants was just fascinating and awe-inspiring.

-Fear not, I’m not angry. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

An ominous and grim laughter, akin to the scraping sound of a rusty iron, resounded from behind the veil.

“Heed my orders, General Kamikiri.”

In response, an insect in front of the hall jumped up to attention. It was covered in white cloth from top to toe, making its appearance indiscernible. Instead of arms, blades emitting a crimson glow protruded from each of its sleeves. Crossing the blades, it bowed.

“Your Majesty’s Four Sword of the Ten Swords, General Kamikiri, awaits your order.”

-All this time, if not for the Berry of the World Tree and the Saintess, I would’ve never batted an eye on the lowly black tribe. But now, I’m more curious about the peculiar god they serve.

The emperor dictated.

-Kamikiri, I shall give you five million troops. Lead them and put that monster into a trial. We shall see whether it’s a god to be worshiped. If it is, you may hand over the last god throne of the empire.

“What if the monster fails the trial?”

-What do you think the answer is, Kamikiri?

Baaam!

From the emperor, murderous intent spread in all directions! Some of the insects couldn’t withstand the aura and pissed themselves. Others even began foaming at their mouths.

-Rip it apart and offer it to the gods of the great empire!

***

“Cough!” I woke up, my entire body drenched in sweat.

Based on everything I had seen, it was clear these weren’t just nightmares. They were clairvoyant dreams. Above all, I couldn’t stop thinking about the outrageous numbers I saw in it.

“F-five million...?”

A hundred thousand ants was enough to make me keel over. Now, they were going to send an army fifty times that?!

Fuck. This is it. This is the end!

What should I do now?

Katalk katalk!

I was anxiously trying to think of a way out when my phone rang out of the blue.

Who was messaging me at this hour? Was it my editor? But the number wasn’t from my contact list.

Silently Crawling Nightmare: Do you... need power...?

What a cliche line.

But why did the nickname look so familiar...? I instantly replied to them.

Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Who are you?

Silently Crawling Nightmare: I’m the evil of all evil, the one who devours everything... the origin of all nightmares...

Seriously, all his lines were so childish. Was one of the senior writers playing a prank on me?

Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Stop joking. Who are you? Are you Cracker hyung?

Silently Crawling Nightmare: If you need power, I can grant it to you... O new, immature and weak god...

I still didn’t know who it was, what I knew was they’d keep talking like that.

Yes, I needed power. Preferably something so devastating, it could wipe out all five million of ants at once.

Or maybe I should just send in an official request to CESCO.

Katalk katalk!

Silently Crawling Nightmare: If so, make an offering...

Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: What? An offering?

Silently Crawling Nightmare: Yes... Immature and weak god.... First, offer a hundred of your kind... It would be better if they shared your blood... If you do that, I’ll share my powers as the Ultimate Malevolent God, with you...

Huh? Are they nuts? They’re taking the joke too far.

Offer a hundred humans? On top of that, people who shared my blood? Was he asking me to sacrifice my beloved family? Blood rushed into my head.

Yu Il-Shin the Almighty: Hey, I don’t know who you are, but cut the crap. I’m going to block you if you continue with this nonsense.

Silently Crawling Nightmare: How dare you... How dare you disrespect me, the owner of nightmares...? Do you realize what you have done...?!

I raised my finger.

Silently Crawling Nightmare: Ah! No, wait! Hey, you punk! I’m giving you a gift, yet you’re being so cold...!

Unlike the slow messages from just a while ago, it was already too late when they sent the latest message.

Click.

Blocked.

Hmph, teach them to roleplay within limits. How dare they bring my family into this?

I didn’t know where they found my Katalk username, but it wasn’t my first time dealing with these loonies.

Rumble—!

Just then, thunder rumbled in the sky.

That’s weird.

In today’s weather forecast, there was no mention of thunderstorms or rain. But soon, neither the weather nor the roleplayer mattered to me anymore.

“Ah, fuck. What should I do?”

Five million ants were targeting me. Such a ridiculous situation it was! Out of this world! Still, I had to find a way to survive first. At the very least, if I knew when those ants would attack...

[The innate power Blind Eyes of God has been activated.]

Seemingly responding to my anxiety, my skill activated on its own again. Instead of my room, a vast plain appeared before my eyes. A ferocious red river cut across it.

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

No, that wasn’t a river. It was the army of red ants marching in unison. They were also equipped.

Rumble! Rumble!

They were dragging along crude-looking tanks and siege weaponry that resembled catapults. The splendor they displayed made them seem like a well-trained medieval army instead of mere ants.

Among them, a certain figure stood out. Leading the ant army was an entity shrouded in black cloth, with a build twenty times the size of a regular ant. As I took a closer look, eerie red glows flickered from beneath the black cloth where the eyes should be.

-How dare you, you evil monster!

W-what? I got caught?

-Prepare yourself, monster! Soon, you shall see the true might of the empire! I, General Kamikiri, will gouge your eyes out! Your head shall serve as a trinket for His Majesty!

Those words were definitely directed at me. My heart sank.

[Duration until General Kamikiri and the imperial army reaches Yu Il-Shin: 71 hours 32 minutes 21 seconds.]

At that moment, the scenery before me changed once more. Such a handy ability. I calmed my racing heart, trying to assess my current situation objectively. I had roughly three days left. It was neither long nor short.

Above all, it was a huge advantage for me to know when the ants would attack. If I had to engage in an enclosed space with no escape like before, I most likely wouldn’t survive.

Regardless of their overwhelming numbers, ants would still drown, right? After that, I probably wouldn’t be able to play God-Maker. Well, still better than dying.

However, I intended for this to be my last resort. As for my first measure... I opened God-Maker.

Ding!

[Launching God-Maker.]

As soon as the game finished loading, I saw the termite and the swarm of black ants bowing in the cave.

[The Saintess and 101 followers are horrified upon hearing news of the empire’s attack.]

Are you guys shaking? Well, me too.

I empathized with the ants as I switched to a different menu on the app.

[Opening God’s Shop.]

Soon, a long catalog appeared.

-----

New! [Lightning Wielding Hammer (High-tier God)]

Category: Exclusive Weapon for Benevolent God

Price: 21,000,000 Gcoins

-----

[God-Trapping Jar (Mid-tier God)]

Category: Exclusive Sacred Item for Malevolent God

Price: 9,000,000 Gcoins

-----

[Summon Guardian of the Benevolent Forest (High-tier God)]

Category: Exclusive Summoning Skill for Benevolent God

Price: 100,000,000 Gcoins

(...)

-----

Ha! The prices were as ridiculous as ever. Despite having about 200,000 Gcoins, the only thing I could afford from this store was Bacchus-F—no, Blessing of the Growth God. Most Low-tier powers easily exceeded millions. But let’s not forget a certain perk I had...

-----

[Brutal Killer (F —> E)]

The one who walks the path of a malevolent god. Overcome the incoming trials and become a true malevolent god!

-----

[You have overcome a trial!]

[As a reward, you may now purchase the power of a Low-tier God from the God’s Shop without using Gcoins.]

[However, you may only purchase a malevolent god’s power.]

-----

On the day when I almost died because of the Spiky Rhinoceros, that message appeared. Although the perk was limited to the powers of malevolent gods, I could still obtain a low tier one for free. It was the same as making a few million coins at once.

I read through the store catalog carefully.

“Ugh, there’s too many.”

The list was so long, I got fed up right away. I didn’t have a guide, much else someone to turn to. I only had my own judgment to rely on. Only a single choice, so I better ponder about it carefully.

Damn it, if only there was something I could refer to...

“Ah!”

Just then, a nice-sounding idea struck my mind like a flash of lightning.

***

A man with huge dark circles stared at me, fatigue evident on his face.

That was me. More accurately speaking, it was my reflection in the mirror.

I had been staring at myself in the mirror for the past five minutes. Not because I was a narcissist, by the way. Thinking that my innate power, Blind Eyes of God, could appraise people or items, I thought that it might work on myself too.

I tried to focus on myself again and again. Before I knew it, another ten minutes had passed. My eyes stung like crazy and tears began rolling down my cheeks. Did I get it wrong? Could I not appraise myself?

Just as I thought that I should give up,

Ding!

[Appraisal complete!]