The current situation in the heavenly realm left the chief toad in shock as he realized that Ydnah, Angel Dalnak, and Gaige had all arrived at the same time. "W-why are the three of them here?" the chief toad exclaimed, his shock causing the tablet he was holding to crack from his tight grip. It was unexpected for Ydnah to arrive at their hall without a proper appointment. The schedule had called for the interrogation of Lord Pauy first, with Ydnah slated for the next day. The chief toad wondered if Lord Ydnah had misread the memo and decided to come to the hall personally. Deities were not to be treated as criminals or looked down upon, even if they were suspects. They still had to show respect, and the other gods were expected to visit the gods' hall for interrogation. The gods assigned to interrogate Lord Ydnah would likely be furious at this sudden change of schedule. The chief toad double-checked the memo he had sent to Lord Ydnah, hoping he wasn't the one who had made a mistak
Gaige braced himself, knowing that the first question could shape the judgment of the gods before him and determine his future. "Gaige Feryuson, do you aim to destroy the earth?" Goddess Tunay inquired. Gaige's jaws dropped upon hearing this initial question, which seemed designed to provoke him. He had expected a more relevant question about the system and the ongoing errors, not an absurd and offensive accusation. Accusing him of wanting to destroy the earth felt like a mockery, and it incensed Gaige. "Why? Is it really true?" God Iging asked. The four gods fixed their gazes on Gaige, effectively judging him based on their expressions. In response, Gaige clenched his fist and indignantly retorted, "Ridiculous! Earth is the best world to live in! I was surprised to find other savage creatures there, but it's still the most beautiful and peaceful place! Who would want to destroy such a wonderful world? Earth offers choices for the living, whereas that other world is all about kill
Adal was merely guessing and experimenting her way into the system. She felt fortunate that she stumbled upon Gaige's summoning and found her way in. Yet, she couldn't shake off a sense of guilt for using a hapless soul and involving it in her scheme. She admitted to being terrified when she willingly allowed herself to be consumed, but she believed it was necessary to fulfill her life's purpose. Adal was determined to infiltrate the system, but her courage wavered every time she met the gaze of the gods. She feared vanishing before achieving her goals, so she placed all her trust in Lord Pauy and recited what he had instructed her to say when questioned. "I don't know! I am confused!" she croaked, causing the four gods to fall silent momentarily. Their lie-detection abilities indicated that Angel Dalnak was telling the truth, but their instincts hinted at something they needed to uncover. "You're cleared now, and you can return to Earth," Goddess Tunay declared. "Who, me?" Gaige
On the seventh day, Gaige's family remained gathered at the residence where aliens, returnees, and humans coexisted, eagerly awaiting his return. They all congregated in one place, their expressions reflecting a mix of welcome and relief. "What's going on? Why are you all gathered here?" Patal inquired, addressing the crowd. Typically, the returnees and aliens could only assemble for dinner, as each of them had their own daily tasks. Patal had briefly stepped out to fetch the saltwater, which Eric and Antur claimed could bring Gaige back to life. He clutched the jug containing the saltwater as he entered the living room, where everyone had gathered around. To him, this could only mean one of two things: Gaige had returned to life, or something far worse had befallen him. Axel replied, "Gun asked us to come together and told us not to leave the living room." "Gun? Lambert's companion is back as well." Patal held the jug even tighter. The aliens blocked his path just as he was abou
At Thom's Corporation's headquarters, a man gathered his executives outside of their usual working hours to tend to his personal needs. Eric needed to secure a billion dollars to give to his supposed girlfriend—Antur. Eric believed that Antur held the key to freeing his brother from the clutches of their mother's influence. It was at this moment that Eric's secretary exclaimed, "Sir, there's a call. The caller introduced himself as your girlfriend," as he hurried into the office. In response, Eric slammed his hands on his desk, though the secretary's contorted expression wasn't in response to the gesture but to the identity of the caller. The caller insisted on being Eric's girlfriend, even though the secretary could distinctly hear a male voice. Initially suspecting a prank call, the secretary was perplexed by the fact that the caller was using Lambert's number, Eric's brother. Eric, however, paid no heed to his secretary's concerns. His sole focus was on securing the money he need
Patal reported to Gaige that Eric had indeed killed Antur. This action was unexpected from Eric but not unusual for a Thom. The incident occurred as Patal followed the couple on their supposed return trip to the island. Antur, however, remained oblivious to Eric's intentions and sat peacefully in Eric's car. It wasn't until a few moments later that he sensed something was amiss. Antur, gazing out of the car window, remarked, "This is not the way to the sea." Antur had agreed to keep Eric away from Gaige for a month. If it meant he could find a way to communicate with his god, spending an additional month as a Purger would not be a problem for him. Antur had left heaven without notifying the god he served, believing that his failure to report was the reason the god wasn't connecting with him. He now regretted not seeking his god's help earlier, as confronting Lord Ydnah had led to dire consequences. "We're here," Eric stated as he exited the car, leaving Antur puzzled. Leaving Gaig
"I won't die here!" Antur screamed with unwavering determination, despite plummeting at tremendous speed from a great height. He clenched his jaws, his mind racing to figure out the best way to land safely. He knew he might sustain injuries, given his status as a weak, newly respawned purger, but he held onto hope, unwilling to meet his demise. "I never want to return to the water again! Damn it!" He remained resolute, but when he caught sight of his impending landing point, panic surged through him. He flailed his arms and legs as if he were swimming in the air, desperate to avoid a perilous landing spot. "Why would someone place a cross in the middle of a forest?" he complained, all the while fearing he might collide with it and meet death once more. "Ugh! Damn it!" Antur's outburst disrupted the animals and spirits in the forest, causing them all to scatter from the hill where he was about to land upon hearing his loud grumbling voice. He struck the cross and instantly felt a sea
The samurai sword, held by a middle-aged man with mostly white hair, was menacingly pointed toward Antur's neck. Beads of sweat began to form on Antur's forehead as the sunlight glinted off the blade, intensifying his fear. "Don't believe him, Gina," the man's raspy voice warned the woman in front of Antur. Before he could react, another man suddenly materialized and pressed the muzzle of his gun against the back of Antur's head. He said, "You really can't be left alone, Gina. This one is a purger." [Notice! A new mission is available.] [Notice! A new mission is available.] [Notice! A new mission is available.] Antur was already trembling with anxiety, dreading the thought of returning to the sea, and the incessant notifications from the system only intensified his unease. Slowly, Antur raised his arms, trying to discreetly access the screen in front of him. The holographic screen reads:[Mission: Purge the Returner][Target: Gina][Target's description and background informatio