The Return of the Legendary All-Master

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Before the Third Annihilation began.

<Escanon.>

A voice came from above.

All the hair on his body stood on end, and he froze in tension.

It was only natural—after all, the owner of that voice was someone who could erase a Jecheonin like him in an instant with just a snap of the fingers.

"D-Did you call for me?"

Escanon did his best to show proper respect so as not to provoke him.

<There seems to be a rather interesting human in the dimension you're in charge of.>

"…I have no excuse."

<Enough of that. More importantly, you have a task to do.>

"What would that be…?"

<Stop that human. Ensure that the sequence of Annihilation proceeds smoothly.>

"Understood."

The command was absolute.

Therefore, he could not refuse.

'You've abandoned me.'

Escanon looked at the human who was now pointing a sword at him.

There wasn't the slightest hint of fear in his eyes.

He didn't like that at all.

'Now that he's got Abaddon behind him, I must look like an easy target to him.'

But he had no intention of going down easily.

Even if the one who sent him here shared the same will as the one protecting the human—how did he get to this place?

Back when he was a hero, he gave up everything and rose to the seat of a Transcendent.

And now he's supposed to hand over that position to this cursed human?

Utter nonsense!

Escanon drew his sword.

Perhaps it was because the memories of his human days still lingered in his mind.

The divine relic took the shape of a sword, perfectly tailored to his hand.

"So that's the divine relic you possess."

The human's eyes gleamed.

"Sounds like you've been well-informed about my relic?"

"That's right. I've been thoroughly briefed on how to take you down."

That was a lie.

But Escanon couldn't tell whether it was or not.

He was already convinced that this human had joined hands with both Named and Abaddon.

"Ha, Abaddon… I should've gotten rid of him long ago."

"Sorry, but you're never going to get the chance to take down Abaddon."

"What?"

A vein bulged on Escanon's forehead.

How dare a mere creature speak down to me?

Despite the murderous gleam in his eyes, the human's mockery showed no signs of stopping.

"Why do you think hierarchy even exists?"

"Is that so? Then I suppose I'll have to show you."

There was no longer any value in continuing the conversation.

He would eliminate that human here and now, and prove to his superiors that they were wrong.

* * *

<Aren't you provoking him too much?>

'Was it that bad?'

<Yeah. That kind of type doesn't respond well to being agitated.>

'It seems to be working, though?'

Judging by the distorted look on his face, the effect was clear.

Jeong-hoon pulled out the Cup of the Void.

The moment it appeared, Escanon's eyes began to tremble intensely.

"Why are you holding that?"

"I was given it."

"…Ha."

Escanon let out a hollow laugh, disbelief all over his face.

[Cup of the Void]

[Select the ability you wish to use.]

[1. Duplication]

[2. Amplification ]

[3. Manifestation]

[4. Proliferation]

[5. The Four Seasons of the End]

Alright, let's begin for real.

Titan was only meant to serve as a threat.

To face a God who possessed a divine relic, he would have to make full use of his own.

[Duplication selected.]

[Creating a duplicate linked to the original.]

Black liquid surged from the Cup and began rapidly shifting form.

A clone formed based on Jeong-hoon's existence.

It was a perfect duplicate, imbued with mana, divine power, and the engine of creation.

"Attack."

At Jeong-hoon's command, the clone leapt forward, executing the Heavenly Demon Lord's Dominion.

It began to unleash martial arts techniques, pressing Escanon back.

"You think this is enough to stop me?"

Escanon scoffed and swung his sword in a wide arc.

The slash split the clone in two, and it vanished instantly.

'Ho.'

Jeong-hoon let out a brief breath of admiration.

Was it an ability that erased everything it touched?

That clone had been created by the Cup of the Void.

To think it would be defeated this easily.

There was no explanation unless it was the power of a divine relic.

But thanks to that, he had now fulfilled the condition to use the next ability.

[Duplication selected.]

[Creating a duplicate linked to the original.]

Jeong-hoon created another clone.

"You're just going to keep using the same trick? I guess that divine relic isn't much after all."

"Is that so?"

Jeong-hoon smirked.

The true power of the Cup of the Void was only just beginning.

[Amplification selected.]

[The clone's stats have increased significantly.]

If it's destroyed, he could simply create it again.

And now, the damage it took earlier would be converted into amplified stats.

"Go."

At Jeong-hoon's command, the clone once again charged at him.

<Don't let your guard down. Ever.>

Jeong-hoon nodded at Tenebris's warning.

'You don't have to tell me.'

That guy was also a divine relic bearer.

Carelessness was not an option.

[The Four Seasons of the End selected.]

[You are entering the Spring of Death.]

He immediately activated the Four Seasons of the End he had extracted earlier.

Now then, Escanon.

Let's see how you handle this.

"Damn it… Abaddon!"

Escanon shouted Abaddon's name and swung his sword.

His plan was to erase the clone at once and then cut down the real body.

But unlike before, he couldn't feel anything in his hand.

'What…?'

His confusion lasted only a moment.

Slice.

With a chilling sound, Escanon's right arm fell to the ground.

"Kh!"

Escanon let out a brief scream, retrieved his severed arm, and staggered backward.

"How's the Spring of Death treating you?"

Jeong-hoon taunted him.

"…Haa."

Escanon's gaze shifted upward.

Black petals were scattering all around him.

'No way… My relic doesn't work?'

The Spring of Death.

He had never seen it with his own eyes, but he'd heard of it.

The Four Seasons of the End—was that what it was called?

The first of four seasons leading to destruction.

These deathly flowers must symbolize spring.

Escanon quickly reattached his arm and glared at Jeong-hoon.

"How about giving up now and dying quietly?"

"Shut up."

The sword in Escanon's hand turned white.

Then, in an instant, he cut down the charging clone.

Even though the Spring of Death was still active, the clone vanished without putting up any resistance.

'Judging by stats alone, they should be about equal… but it's not even a fight.'

The divine relic in his hand.

That was the problem.

Jeong-hoon pulled out the Divine Retribution Record he received from the Sin of Wrath.

[Using the Divine Retribution Record.]

[Select the ability of the designated target.]

[Selected: Strike.]

To record the opponent's ability, one must experience it directly.

Every strike Escanon had made was Strike—a powerful slash that erased existence with a single cut.

Jeong-hoon recorded that ability into the Divine Retribution Record and then used the Cup of the Void to create another clone.

As before, the clone began pressuring Escanon.

Slice.

Once again, the clone was split in two without much resistance.

However, unlike before, the clone didn't disappear—it reformed and continued pressing him.

"What the—!"

Escanon's face twisted in shock.

With the passing of the Spring of Death and the arrival of the Summer of Pain, it felt like his entire body was on fire—but that wasn't the real problem.

His divine relic wasn't activating.

And the creative energy cloaking the clone's body—

It was something the previous clones didn't have.

"That's as far as I'll play along."

Just as Jeong-hoon said, the clone's power was on a completely different level now.

'He was hiding his strength!'

Urgency filled Escanon's expression.

Spring had passed, and now summer had come.

At this rate, autumn and winter would follow—and then death.

To end this for sure, he had to fully utilize his divine relic, but whatever Jeong-hoon had done, it was sealed.

It was as if both of his legs had been cut off.

But he still had one card left to play.

Whoosh—

Escanon swung his sword diagonally in a wide arc.

A surge of sword wind erupted, forcing the clone to retreat.

The raging wind turned into sharp blades, sweeping over both the clone and Jeong-hoon.

[Using the Divine Barrier.]

It wasn't Jeong-hoon who activated the barrier.

The clone, cloaked in creation energy, deployed the barrier and completely blocked the sword wind, protecting Jeong-hoon.

"Engage again."

At Jeong-hoon's command, the clone leapt forward again.

But Escanon was already holding his sword and focusing.

At that moment—

[The Summer of Pain has been nullified.]

Summer was broken.

As the burning pain vanished, Escanon looked at Jeong-hoon with a calm expression.

"Abaddon, do I still look weaker than you now?"

"Yeah."

Jeong-hoon answered the question instead.

"What?"

Escanon asked back with a dumbfounded look.

"I'm saying don't get so full of yourself just because you broke through one phase of the Apocalypse's Four Seasons."

"You bastard…"

Escanon's face twisted with murderous intent at Jeong-hoon's sharp retort.

"Then shall we keep going?"

Jeong-hoon flicked his finger.

"Hmph, let's see how long that attitude lasts."

Escanon let out a chuckle and then slammed his sword into the ground.

Wooooong—

The ground trembled, and pure white mana began to rise, devouring the surroundings.

'Is that also the power of the divine relic?'

<No, that's his innate ability.>

'Really?'

<Use the Divine Retribution Record, quickly!>

He was going to use it even without being urged.

[The Divine Retribution Record cannot be used.]

Jeong-hoon's brow furrowed.

It said the Divine Retribution Record couldn't be used.

<Logos, that bastard. He's interfering now?>

With a hardened expression, Jeong-hoon looked up at the sky.

Before he knew it, the white mana had consumed everything, and even the sky appeared white.

'……'

<It seems that ability he activated was the trigger.>

At the time, the Sin of Wrath had also been defeated and sealed by Escanon due to Logos's interference.

It was clear that Logos was intervening again now.

"Ah, so you hadn't abandoned me after all…"

Escanon murmured with a face full of emotion.

"Is that really the case?"

Not only the Divine Retribution Record, but even the Chalice of the Void could no longer be used—causing the clone to vanish.

"Kukuk, stop pretending to be calm."

"……"

Jeong-hoon silently gripped Titan.

<It's fine. That guy can't use his divine relic either, so it's still a winnable fight.>

'Small mercy, I guess.'

Jeong-hoon activated every buff he could use, from Black Field to Ultimate Aura.

[True Asura is activated. (Time limit: 300 seconds)]

[Entering Extreme Annihilation.]

Next, he triggered Asura and equipped every available armament.

[Activating 'Advent of the Conqueror.']

Then came Advent of the Conqueror.

Jeong-hoon leapt forward using the Heavenly Demon Lord's Dominion Footwork.

In an instant, he reached Escanon and swung his sword wide.

Clang!

Their swords collided, releasing a metallic crash.

"Guh…!"

A pained groan escaped from Escanon's lips.

"This is on a different level than the clone."

The clone hadn't used buffs, but Jeong-hoon was currently using all of them.

So he wouldn't be overwhelmed like the clone was.

"Kukuk, this is fun."

Escanon laughed and deflected Jeong-hoon's sword.

"……!"

I'm being overpowered?

Jeong-hoon quickly rolled backward, trying to widen the gap by linking into the Heavenly Demon Lord's Dominion Footwork.

But Escanon, a beat faster, grabbed Jeong-hoon by the collar.

"Guh!"

What kind of grip strength is this?

He couldn't help but be shocked at being overpowered by sheer strength.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

Escanon asked with eyes full of amusement as he looked at Jeong-hoon.

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]