Ranker Who Lives Twice

‘Niflheim?’ Yeon-woo was surprised that Niflheim had taken an interest in him. They didn’t have much contact with each other, and with the exception of Hel, the demons of Niflheim hadn’t given him much attention.

Woof!

『He says a lot of demons are still doubtful of you in Niflheim. Apparently, none question your ability, but few agree that you will be with Ragnarok.』

Woof, woof!

『Hel is the only demon who watched you, and Fenrir says he decided to descend personally to see for himself. And he says he felt…anyway, that’s what he said. Hmph. Fool. Even if you flatter Yeon-woo, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s mine…! Hey! Let go!』 Fenrir bit Agares even before Agares finished translating his barking. Frowning, Agares hit Fenrir’s muzzle as Fenrir chomped tightly on Agares’ leg with no intention of letting go.

It appeared like a cute scene of a young child and a puppy fighting playfully, but because Yeon-woo knew better, it just seemed repulsive to him. If he opened his truth-revealing Fiery Golden Eyes, he would probably see a massive giant and a powerful man clashing with each other. ‘I want to see that even less.’ Sometimes, ignorance was bliss. ‘Anyway, I’m one with Ragnarok… I don’t know what that end or darkness they’re talking about is…but if Niflheim will be my ally, all the better for me.’

Niflheim was a large society, and Yeon-woo was already at odds with Thor. Since it was too late to have good relations with Asgard, he needed to band together with Niflheim. “But there’s nothing I can give Niflheim with this war.” Yeon-woo didn’t need to do anything for Agares since the demon always did as he wished, but Yeon-woo didn’t have anything to trade with Niflheim.

Woof, woof!

『Ow…he says as long as you stand on their side when Ragnorak happens…! Let go now! You son of a bitch, jeez!』 Agares’ face twisted further as he spoke. Fenrir nodded.

“I don’t know what this Ragnarok is, but fine. I’ll help Niflheim as long as this doesn’t get in my way.”

[An alliance has been forced between player ### and demonic society <Niflheim>.]

[Your alliance will be declared to the heavenly world.]

[Many gods request you make your alliances more carefully.]

[Many demons show curiosity about your alliance.]

…

[The godly society <Asgard> has declared their enmity for you after the alliance!]

[Your nature becomes more ‘Evil’.]

[Your nature becomes more ‘Evil’.]

…

[The demonic society <Jie Sect> expresses concern about your alliance with the <Chan Sect>. They announced their neutrality!]

…

[The godly society <Chan Sect> and <Asgard> have enmity with each other after your new alliance.]

[The demonic society <Niflheim> and godly society <Olympus> have enmity with each other after your new alliance.]

[All relations are adjusted.]

[Current Relations]

*Allied Forces

### (player)

Chan Sect (Godly)

Niflheim (Demonic)

*(Temporary) Aligned Forces

Olympus (Godly)

Asgard (Godly)

*Neutral

Malach (Godly)

L’Infernal (Demonic)

Jie Sect (Demonic)

[Other societies have not declared their alliances and continue to observe.]

[Your relations may change depending on the declarations of societies.]

[A majority of gods look at your relations with displeased eyes.]

[A majority of demons chuckle in amusement at your alliances.]

…

[Vimalacitra is pleased with the imminent war. He feels satisfied by your actions.]

[Cernunnos expresses concern about his Apostle’s safety.]

『What is this stupid chart?!』 Agares’ pretty face frowned as he looked at Yeon-woo’s alliances. With his cute hand, he pounded Fenrir’s back. 『Me! I’m not on it!』

[The ‘East Demon Army’ has been added to your ‘Allied Forces’.]

『Yes. That’s more like it.』 Agares nodded in satisfaction after seeing the message he desired. Yeon-woo and others looked at Agares in disbelief, but Agares just crossed his arms and sniffed. 『What is it? Is there a problem?』

“Mmm…no.”

“Hahaha! I’ve only heard rumors, but your indifference is truly amazing. As expected of the Duke of the East!”

Erlang Shen looked bewildered, but Prince Nezha just laughed, impressed that Agares didn’t care what others thought and acted as he wished.

Agares’ nose pointed higher. Since he looked like a child, it almost seemed comical. Yeon-woo didn’t even look in his direction, worried that it would only give him more headaches. An indifferent Grand Duke of the East? The beings of the heavenly world weren’t in their right minds to think it was an appropriate description for Agares.

Yeon-woo began to prioritize what he needed to get done in Tartarus. ‘I need to raid the Temple of the King of the Underworld to find the Stone of Castitas (Purity) and open the door to Erebus…but the most important thing is to grasp the current situation in Tartarus.’

Yeon-woo thought that the Titans and Gigantes in Tartarus might have resistors among their ranks, considering how they’d acted even while Hades was in his prime. It was likely that the current rules of Olympus were. having trouble ruling without a new hierarchy. He needed to target this, but there was just one problem. ‘If there is a resistance, I need to know where they are. It’s possible they’re fighting without a common leader.’

“Hm?”

“Oho. More visitors?”

『Looks like they’re coming over because they want to die. Ha! Idiots.』

Woof, woof!

Feeling the atmosphere shake, they all turned around.

Rumble. Boom, boom, boom!

『Who dares…sully…our territory!』

As the sky quaked, dozens of Titans descended, preceded by bolts of black lightning and followed by subordinates whose strength could crush most divine beings. Everything turned black, and an intense amount of pressure bore down on Yeon-woo’s party. It was a debuff against trespassers.

[You have been afflicted with the curse ‘Blind’.]

[You have been afflicted with the curse ‘Magic Power-Sealing’!]

[You have been afflicted with the curse ‘Holy Power Clashing’!]

…

[All stats decrease as a result of the large-scale debuff.]

[All resistance decreases as a result of the large-scale debuff.]

…

Yeon-woo’s party felt as though they were shrinking, and the world was rejecting them. Yeon-woo finally understood what the envoys had experienced when they took over the Crawling Chaos’ holy territory and their natural flow of holy power was bound.

Although they were surrounded by kilometer-tall Titans and there was no escape route, no one in the party seemed worried about their precarious situation. In fact, Agares only expressed his displeasure. 『You idiots don’t know your place! Even that bastard Typhon isn’t a challenge, and you fools still dare get in my way?!』 Agares shouted loudly enough to shake mountains as he released his aura at the same time. A gigantic whirlwind of demonic energy expanding without any limits.

Crash! It was so destructive that the subordinates of the Titans were swept away before they could attack, and a few Titans even lost their limbs. Agares hadn’t revealed his strength in the holy territory of the Crawling Chaos, but it was clear now that it surpassed the power of those in the heavenly world.

The storm of demonic energy brushed away the debuffs and continued to expand, creating a raging tsunami.

“The last time I fought so freely like this was…ah yes, back when Luciel caused a ruckus.” Prince Nezha joyfully gripped his Fire-Tipped Spear and activated the Wind Fire Wheels at his ankles to soar up to the sky. A Titan-sized column of fire followed him, turning the ground over in his wake. It instantly turned into hell.

“Ha! How annoying.” Erlang Shen pulled out the twin-swords at his waist and planted them into the ground, ready to quickly end the fight with these small fish. Erlang Shen was a god who ruled over water, and water vapor gathered around him in the form of large water dragons. They plunged towards the Titans.

Crash! The fight officially began. Yeon-woo activated the Philosopher’s Stone and his Dragon Heart with a shout. “Domain Declaration.”

Shadows spread along the ground like ink, and the army of death, Dis Pluto, slowly rose from it. Each soldier wore black armor, and blue fire burned in their eye sockets. Their fighting spirit began to ring in the air. They had finally returned home, a place they had abandoned because they were once too weak.

Dis Pluto expressed their murderous intent for the enemies who ruined the land they had cultivated with their blood and sweat. Most importantly, they were now stronger with the blessing of the Throne of Death. Their black blades glittered sharply.

“Lam.”

「Yes, sir.」

The leader of Dis Pluto who had once been Hades’ Apostle bowed. There wasn’t a single trace of emotion in her voice, but Yeon-woo didn’t miss the malevolence it contained.

“This is the moment we have all been waiting for. If you get injured, you’ll be demoted to Spirit Guai.”

Lam lifted her head with surprised eyes and laughed when she saw Yeon-woo grinning. Yeon-woo’s voice was arrogant, as if defeat wasn’t even something he could imagine. However, this attitude seemed appropriate. She thought it was the attitude the new King of the Underworld should have.

「Yes, sir!」 Lam bowed smartly and turned to the soldiers. 「We’ve come a long way and finally returned to our motherland. Let us fight.」 Her eyes blazed. 「Let us deliver victory to our god!」

Thud! Thud! The commanders at the lead all thumped their spears on the ground. The rest of Dis Pluto followed their lead, creating a beat that made their nonexistent hearts seem to thump again.

「Soldiers!」

Stomp, stomp!

「Forward!」

Dis Pluto rushed forward. The army of death roared.