Ranker Who Lives Twice

“Anyway.” The Heavenly Demon smirked and adjusted his grip on the Ruyi Bang. “I came while looking after my kid. My wife’s gonna scold me if I don’t get back soon, so let’s end this nicely, okay?”

Upon understanding what the Heavenly Demon meant, the Resident of the Border shouted frantically, “Everyone, spread apart!”

“Sorry, but it’s too late.” The moment the Heavenly Demon swung the Ruyi Bang, golden rays of light fell onto the Eight Gods of Disorder. Before the gods could escape like the Resident of the Border ordered them to, they activated their powers and created barriers. The Heavenly Demon had been targeting this, using Shukuchi to speed in front of the god closest to him, The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young.

The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, who had taken the form of a cold-looking human, raised her hands and slashed them down. Thwak! Crack, crack, crack!

Kiaaaa. Oooo! As she divided space into tens of sections with her hands, tentacles rained out alongside monsters screeching horrendously. They were creatures who could never be seen in the Day’s universe of order. They were most likely simple-minded, because they continued to repeat the same words over and over again. Mother. Mother…

The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young symbolized fecundity as the “thousand young” of her nickname indicated. An innumerable number of creatures in the otherworld was born from her womb, and her position within the otherworld was unequaled. The Resident of the Border was the vice-king, and she could be called the empress.

She had the greatest number of subordinates who followed her faithfully, and the creatures who had just been pulled out from the forcefully opened “door” were beings who moved unconditionally to protect her… She intended to use them to keep the Heavenly Demon down while she crept into his blind spot and attacked. She didn’t care how many of her children could actually die. To her, they were only tools who could be sacrificed at any time.

Kakakaka. Her subordinates continued to rush towards the Heavenly Demon with the intent to tear him apart.

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon let go of the Ruyi Bang. Then, after activating Thunder Feet, he spun around. It seemed like he was moving lightly, but Yeon-woo, who was watching everything, saw that they weren’t simple movements at all. ‘Heavenly Bracket!’ It was a type of martial arts Yeon-woo had learned from the Monkey King’s exuviae.

Crash! Golden waves of light soared up like vines of fire and were sucked into the Heavenly Demon’s fist from the ground. He activated the Heavenly Bracket, Flame Wheel Secret Skill, and Fire Wheel Divine King Hammer.

Pew. Just a single strike from the Heavenly Demon swept away the creatures The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young had summoned and The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young herself. It seemed like a simple flash, but her subordinates were burned beyond recognition with lashes of fire. Half of her manifestation body was also blown away and she was critically injured by the destructive force. Space was crushed where the Heavenly Demon’s fist landed.

‘That’s…Heavenly Bracket?’ Yeon-woo was still fighting the Crawling Chaos, but his Eyes of the Heavens and Ear of the Heavens were focused on the Heavenly Demon, who already had the most control over the battlefield. Yeon-woo felt relieved, but also realized how limited his understanding of the Heavenly Bracket was.

The Heavenly Demon’s Heavenly Bracket was lower in proficiency compared to what the Monkey King’s exuviae had shown, but it was complete. Heavenly Bracket wasn’t just martial arts or skill; it was a combination of both. It was a strength that maximized powers and interfered in laws to amplify strength that was more perfect than the Monkey King’s exuviae.

Thanks to this, Yeon-woo felt like his eyes were being opened. He realized what he had missed while he focused on training the Yin Sword and Sword Thunder. At the same time, another thought occurred to him. ‘If I can connect Heavenly Bracket with Yin Sword…!’

The Yin Sword was a strength made to break the system’s laws of causality. Thus, if Yeon-woo could strengthen it with Heavenly Bracket, he’d be able to gain more satisfying results. He thought the greatest thing he gained while in Kronos’ legends might not be Pneuma’s map. He had already gained a lot by finding this new path.

In the meantime, the Heavenly Demon released consecutive attacks onto the retreating Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young.

Pew pew pew! Crash…! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young was blown away powerlessly, with most of her body crushed. She was blown into the territory where the Night was shaking.

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

The Eight Gods of Disorder and the otherworld gods stiffened. She might’ve been an incomplete manifestation body made with just a part of her consciousness, but the Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young wasn’t one to be defeated so easily. However, they weren’t able to continue with their thoughts any longer.

Ssss! The Heavenly Demon’s body suddenly started dividing after he eliminated the Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young. The art of creating shadows, which the Great Sage had used in his prime, was activated and multiple Heavenly Demons landed on the Eight Gods of Disorder and the otherworld gods.

Heavenly Bracket.

Flowing Water and Rack.

Shadow-splitting.

Swish. Just one Heavenly Demon had been shocking to the Eight Gods of Disorder, but there were multiple Heavenly Demons now. This was a disaster for the Night.

“There are three, four…of those monsters.”

“Fuck…! That’s a bit too much…?”

“But I’m curious. If that happens, is his temper doubled or squared? If it’s squared ten times, I think it’s better for the world to come to an end.”

The beings of Day shared similar thoughts as the beings of the Night. Uranus, Metatron, and Baal were pale as if they saw a ghost.

The Heavenly Demon’s shadows continued to fling the Eight Gods of Disorder back into Night and tore apart the otherworld gods who were trying to escape it. The struggle of the otherworld gods against the Heavenly Demon was useless.

Even during this situation, the Heavenly Bracket’s secret skills and abilities were imprinted in Yeonwoo’s senses.

Just then, one of the shadows dashed in Yeon-woo’s direction. To be exact, it was headed for where the Crawling Chaos was.

Allowed. Here… Difficult. Recover. Losses. For a long time. Then… The Crawling Chaos calmly muttered to himself even though he was near death, still in Jeong-woo’s form.

Yeon-woo refocused on the creature. He instinctively felt something had gone wrong.

Regardless, the Crawling Chaos suddenly pulled out his right arm and tossed it in the air.

[A part of the Crawling Chaos’ legends have been split!]

[The Crawling Chaos’ legends you swallowed are responding to the split legends of the ‘Crawling Chaos!’]

[The two legends are pulling each other to make up for what they lack!]

“What…!” Yeon-woo was caught by surprise. The Crawling Chaos’ right arm scattered and turned into a fog as it moved towards him. Yeon-woo didn’t know what the creature was aiming for. However, based on the Crawling Chaos’ actions so far, Yeon-woo kept his guard up with Yin Sword.

[An unidentifiable power refuses the legends of the ‘Crawling Chaos!]

[The domain of fight squirms.]

[The power ‘Hades’ Spirit Eating Sword’ reveals its properties of Gula. It desires the legends of the ‘Crawling Chaos!’]

However, the legends were sucked into Yeon-woo before he could slash it with the Yin Sword.

With this. It will be. Amusing. The Crawling Chaos laughed monstrously. He had a satisfied smile on his face. Then, he was struck by the Heavenly Demon’s punch and was flung back into the territory of Night. Although his manifestation body was crushed, his eyes glimmering with madness weren’t erased.

Thump!

[The combined legends of the ‘Crawling Chaos’ squirm!]

Thump, thump! Yeon-woo’s heart thumped furiously. Yeon-woo felt like the Crawling Chaos’ legends were being sucked into his own soul and not Kronos’ youthful body. He wondered if the Crawling Chaos was trying to invade his conscious like last time, but that wasn’t the case. He felt the blood circulation returning to his body. Hades’ Spirit Eating Body had successfully digested the Crawling Chaos’ legends.

The experience was uncomfortable and suspicious for Yeon-woo. The Crawling Chaos simply gave him his legends before disappearing, and the Crawling Chaos wasn’t someone to do that. The creature definitely had some ulterior motive, but Yeon-woo didn’t have time to contemplate any deeper.

The Crawling Chaos’ legends became quiet, and the Heavenly Demon was cleaning the last of the Night. “Do you have any last words?” The Heavenly Demon walked in front of the glaring Resident of the Border and stopped.

“We’ll leave like this now, but you can’t get rid of our longing to find Father.”

“Aren’t you embarrassed to speak like a low-grade villain?”

“I don’t know what that means, but even you won’t be able to stop Father from waking…!”

“Alright, alright. Go on now.” The Heavenly Demon kicked the Resident of the Border, crushing his body into the size of the wormhole and returning him to the Night.

The blue sky of the Day replaced the Night. The tight pressure of the battlefield disappeared as if it had never been there. The manifestations of the Heavenly Demon all disappeared, one by one.

Yeon-woo stared blankly at the Heavenly Demon for a while. The Heavenly Demon had a power that easily chased away the creatures of the Night that the beings of the Day had such difficulty fighting. It was a strength that was something to be admired rather than be envious of, even for Yeon-woo, who wanted to reach the “emperor” level like his teacher, the Martial King.

『It seems you know a lot about the Heavenly Demon too. I can safely assume you know most things that were hidden about the creation of the universe at this point. Haha! Now that you know about us, I suppose you do know nearly everything.』Uranus chuckled as he looked at Yeon-woo. Metatron and Baal were giving orders to their subordinates to clean up the battlefield the Night…the Heavenly Demon had destroyed.

『It seems complicated.』

『It is. Of course. The reason why the legends of each society are all different is because of the secrets of creation. The creation of the universe might still be in congress, and at the center of it is that being.』

Yeon-woo sensed some bitterness from Uranus’ words.

The Heavenly Demon was called a demon by the gods. That was why his presence was intentionally erased from the legends. The gods never allowed someone to be above them. They had also wanted to steal some of the faith he was receiving. Even so, the Heavenly Demon’s presence wasn’t erased, even becoming something that illuminated the universe.

Uranus seemed like he was wary of the Heavenly Demon but admired him at the same time.

『Still, even if you admire or respect the Heavenly Demon, don't worship him. His path and your path are different. If you try to follow him, all your legends will be destroyed. From the beginning…he and “we” are too different.』

Uranus was worried that Yeon-woo might become obsessed with the Heavenly Demon. Although the gods tried to exclude the Heavenly Demon, there were many beings who tried to worship him—especially young beings.

『You don’t need to be worried.』Yeon-woo tried to ease Uranus, but Uranus still seemed worried. Yeon-woo didn’t attempt to explain all his thoughts to Uranus. He was just surprised to see the Heavenly Demon’s overwhelming strength and the completeness of Heaven Bracket. Aside from that, he was rather more wary of him.

‘I’m trying to pull down Allforone. That means I might have to stand against the Heavenly Demon.’

Oh, right. If you see my son again, tell him I’m sorry. Yeon-woo still remembered what the Heavenly Demon had said in the past. He didn’t know what had happened between the Heavenly Demon and Allforone, but it seemed like while Allforone resented the Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Demon loved Allforone. There might have been some misunderstanding between them.

However, Yeon-woo didn’t want to know any of it. Allforone was an enemy, and there was nothing he could do if that meant the Heavenly Demon would become an enemy as well. That was something he was prepared to face. It was also while he didn’t worship the Heavenly Demon although he respected him.

The origin of his strength was from the Black King, who was the opposite of the Heavenly Demon. Like what Uranus said, their paths were entirely different.

『Then…that’s a relief.』Uranus seemed relieved but still doubtful of Yeon-woo because he didn’t know what Yeon-woo thought.『But…』

『Yes.』

『Have you seen the Heavenly Demon in some other time period?』It was a random question by Uranus.

『What does that mean?』

『I don’t know if I’m mistaken, but it seems the Heavenly Demon knows you.』

『…?』Yeon-woo wondered what Uranus was saying when he suddenly met eyes with the Heavenly Demon, whose Fiery Golden Eyes momentarily flashed.

The Heavenly Demon disappeared and reappeared right in front of Yeon-woo. It was a speed that was faster than when he chased away the Eight Gods of Disorder. He exuded an intense emotion: murderous intent.

“…!”

Clang! Yeon-woo lifted his sword to block the Ruyi Bang coming down above his head, and Uranus dashed between them to deflect the attacks.

“Heavenly Demon! What is the meaning of this?” Uranus’ furious voice boomed and shook the world. Metatron and Baal turned to look at what was going on.

The Heavenly Demon glared at Yeon-woo with a cold face, a sharp contrast from his relaxed composure. “You.” It was a single word, but Yeon-woo felt shivers running down his spine. Instinct was telling him that if he didn’t run away he’d die.

[Warning! A great being that is too much for this legend to handle is expressing intense hostility toward you! The foundation of the legends is shaking! Stop playing them back immediately!]

[Warning! A great being who is too large for this legend to play is expressing intense hostility! This legend may be crushed! Escape immediately!]

[Warning! A great being…]

…

[The playback of the legends cannot be paused!

[Your possession of this body is not paused.]

[The legend is being adjusted due to the great being! The order of this legend is being shaken!]

…

[The legends are being destroyed!]

[The legends are being destroyed!]

With consecutive warning messages that came up, the Heavenly Demon growled like he met someone he shouldn’t have. “You have the fate of killing my son. Why did my future self leave you alone even after ‘reading’ you?”

“…!”

“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to die here.”