Chapter 0

A world that has lost its god is nothing more than delectable prey!

Gods from beyond.

The Outer Gods.

Absolute beings who had created countless universes since time immemorial.

The Itarim!

Scattered across dimensions, the Itarim realized that the master of a distant dimension had vanished, and their eyes gleamed.

They cared nothing for the death of one of their own. All that mattered to them was the vast quantity of mana remaining in that world!

Power without a master belonged to whoever claimed it first!

... And so the curtain rose on the War of the Outer Gods.

* * *

ROOOAAAR!

In the dimensional rift connecting universes, the Itarim's envoys tore through the solid dimensional barriers by brute force and poured out as one.

One man stood against them.

Sung Jinwoo, the greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light and the Shadow Monarch, spoke, black currents swirling around his entire body.

“Arise.”

RUMBLE!

At his words, an army tens of millions strong, composed of angels of light and the shadow army, raised their weapons in unison.

Then the war began.

No matter how many were killed, the invaders from the outer universes kept coming in endless waves.

The closely matched battle dragged on, neither side able to let its guard down for even a moment.

[... There is simply no end in sight.]

[In truth, it is a miracle we have held out this long. This war was against us from the outset.]

[Agreed. Without the Shadow Monarch, our defenses would have fallen long ago.]

The Rulers, angels with six wings, paid their respects to Sung Jinwoo.

They were Fragments of Brilliant Light, originally born as apostles of their god. Upon realizing their god's cruelty, they had chosen of their own free will to become godslayers.

In the distant past, the god who had created this world split the primordial light and darkness into eight pieces each, creating the Fragments of Brilliant Light and the Monarchs.

From the moment of their creation, they had followed their ordained destiny, killing one another in an endless war.

Countless lives were lost as the war repeated itself over the eons. Even the Fragments of Brilliant Light and the Monarchs who commanded the war were no exception.

Yet someone else always came to fill the places they left behind.

When a Monarch's spiritual body was destroyed, the primordial darkness dwelling within it sought a new, worthy successor. When a Fragment of Brilliant Light died, the primordial light within did the same, creating new Monarchs and Fragments of Brilliant Light.

All to maintain the balance of the war.

But the purpose of it all...

Only after an unfathomably long time did they learn that it had all been for the amusement of a cruel Absolute Being who wanted the war to last forever.

Now their god was dead, and the Monarchs were all dead as well. They had thought the long, grueling war was over and peace had finally come...

Only to face an invasion by Outer Gods who had noticed their god's absence.

[... The Itarim's apostles continue to be born even as we speak.]

[Whereas our own numbers remain stagnant.]

Since ancient times, the heavenly soldiers led by the Rulers had been born from the fruit of the World Tree.

But after their god's death, the World Tree had gradually ceased to bear fruit.

That meant they could no longer replenish their ranks.

Yet there was one exception.

The king who ruled over death, the Shadow Monarch.

He and his army alone were everlasting.

The power of creation was gone, but death would endure forever.

As the Rulers had said, without Sung Jinwoo's shadow army, which rose again each time its soldiers died, this war would have been decided in an instant.

It would have ended in the utter annihilation of this world.

[My liege, we have a crisis.]

Army Commander Igris appeared urgently before Sung Jinwoo.

[Our rear defensive line has been breached!]

“Where?”

[Well... they targeted the region with the weakest magical energy...]

“Don't tell me it's Earth.”

[Forgive me. With our forces concentrated at the front, our rear defenses were inadequate.]

Sung Jinwoo let out a low sigh.

Earth had barely regained its peace, only to be placed in danger once more.

[... Gates will open on Earth again.]

The Rulers murmured, watching Sung Jinwoo's reaction.

Earth had once been invaded by the denizens of the Chaos World.

As the ones responsible for that incident, the Rulers hastily offered excuses.

[But the situation is different from when we did it.]

[Indeed. Our sole purpose was to strengthen Earth and protect it from the Monarchs.]

[But the Itarim seek nothing but conquest!]

[They intend to throw us into disarray by destroying the weakest point in our rear first!]

[My liege! We must send troops to Earth at once!]

The Rulers vehemently opposed Igris's proposal.

[Absolutely not! If we divide our forces, the precarious balance of power we have maintained until now will collapse!]

[That must be precisely what the Itarim want!]

[If the front falls while we defend the rear, we will ultimately lose!]

After listening to their heated argument, Sung Jinwoo finally made his decision.

“Beru.”

[Kieeeek! My king!]

The king of the ants, who had been gleefully tearing the enemies limb from limb, answered his call.

[Army Commander Beru, reporting for duty!]

“Go to Earth for me.”

[Kiah! Do you mean...?!]

Sung Jinwoo nodded gravely.

“Yes. I think it's time to break Suho's seal.”

[...!]

Beru's eyes widened, filling with anticipation.

“Return as quickly as you can.”

[As you command!]

At that command, Beru immediately became a streak of light and flew toward Earth.

Sung Jinwoo silently watched him go, then turned his gaze back to the enemies swarming toward them once more.

His lips pressed tightly together.

His eyes blazed fiercely.

“Come, apostles of the Outer Gods.”

The war continued.