Ranker Who Lives Twice

Just before Yeon-woo's party appeared, the war of nerves between Olympus and Malach was tensely ensuing. No, to be precise, the quarrel originated unilaterally from Malach's side.

"Simpletons."

"What?"

"You all are so elated and happy to see that your missing master has returned. Your simpleton, subservient nature is so ridiculous. It's hard for me to believe that you're really the fiery woman I once knew."

Athena frowned as she watched Michael blatantly belittle her with a smirk on his face. She recalled Yeon-woo telling her to be mindful of Michael, as it was unknown what he was up to. "What do you want to say?"

"I'm just stating a fact. I didn't mean to make fun of you or anything. I must have made our little Athena feel so uncomfortable. I'm so sorry." Michael shrugged his shoulders as he pretended not to notice Athena releasing her divine powers. The more he pretended, the more Athena frowned.

The fact was that Athena never felt comfortable with Michael, even when they were facing off against the Night on the same side. They did not just have an awkward relationship. Their relationship was so bad that there were many occasions when Athena considered breaking completely away from Michael and his side.

Michael was well known in the heavenly world as being crazed with fighting. Whenever he met a strong opponent, he unconditionally waged a fight. Furthermore, Michael was also famous for treating those who he judged as weaker than him like pieces of trash. If Metatron had not been present as a political shield for Michael, it wouldn't have been strange if Michael had met a sudden death in the heavenly world, as he was universally hated by many societies.

However, when the Tower collapsed and Metatron was annihilated, Michael ran rampant, as there was no one to reign him in or cover for him. Many believed that Michael had remained on the Day's side to fight against Night since he owed it to Metatron, but that did not mean he was free from conflicts with his colleagues.

Actually, it might have made more sense that Michael was fighting on Day's side because he wanted to release his madness for fighting without restriction. Perhaps following Metatron's wishes was just used as a public cover.

In any case, among those who had issues with Michael, Athena showed the strongest hostility. She always valued strict discipline and a firm chain of command, values which were largely incompatible with Michael, who constantly created useless disturbances under Athena's authority.

Recently, Athena had not paid much attention to the other heavenly societies, as she did not want to get too involved in their internal conflicts. However, now, Michael was openly arguing and challenging her authority. Even the usually calm Athena was getting annoyed. Even if Yeon-woo had not mentioned anything regarding Michael, Athena had always been wary of Michael.

"Michael."

"Hmm?" Michael laughed softly, but soon after hearing Athena's following words, his expression hardened.

"Does it make you feel good when you express your feelings of inferiority?"

"…What?"

"It's ugly and childish. You're trying to elevate your self-esteem by demeaning others. You're like a kid saying that you're the greatest…that you're on the same level as others. Do you think your value and self-worth will increase if you shout those silly things?"

"This bitch…!"

"No matter how much you scream and shout, no one will treat you like Luciel."

"…!" As soon as Luciel, a trauma-like existence for Michael, was mentioned, the nature of Michael's divine power changed drastically. His fighting aura changed to a killing intent. Just by his response, one could easily see how great of a burden the name Luciel, or Lucifer, placed on Michael.

However, Athena's venomous comments continued to pour out. "Did you think we didn't know that you had an inferiority complex regarding Luciel?"

Though they were twins, Michael was able to rise to the position of an archangel after being chosen by Metatron. On the other hand, Luciel had grown up in less fortunate conditions and spent the majority of his life as a mere pawn. However, after he swallowed the First Light, the burst of light from the creation of the universe, Luciel became Lucifer. He was called the 'The Bringer of Dawn' and acquired the power to burn down the entire heavenly world.

Although Luciel's wings were clipped after various gods and demons allied together to contend against him, the damage suffered by the heavenly world at that time was so great that everyone knew the name Luciel. Furthermore, at the time, Michael was the one who plunged his sword into Luciel's heart.

It was widely known that Michael, while swallowing his tears, had thrust his sword into his twin brother's chest for the peace and safety of the heavenly world. However, the gods and demons who were present when Luciel's wings were clipped knew the real truth.

At that time, Michael had smiled coldly. When Luciel, who had been largely ignored by everyone until then, gained great fame, Michael, who felt inferior to his twin brother, approached Luciel with the excuse of intervening as a neutral and stabbed his own twin brother.

Thus, Athena, who was present on behalf of Olympus at the time, knew about Michael's true nature better than anyone else. She clearly saw through Michael's childish actions and words, which were self-defense mechanisms he employed to build up his own self-esteem.

The reason Athena had not brought up the subject until now was because she knew Michael, who was prideful, would inevitably create a scene. However, since Michael was acting so hostile, Athena decided not to hold back any longer.

"Just because you have a mouth… Do you think you can say anything without any repercussions?"

As Michael prepared for a confrontation, the archangels standing behind him all raised their wings in unison.

The gods of Olympus also prepared for a confrontation. Like Michael's archangel colleagues, the gods of Olympus opened their powers and got into a tight formation.

[Malach is opening the blessing, 'Determining Good and Bad'!]

[Olympus is opening the blessing 'The Forces of Lightning and Darkness'!]

[The two godly societies point their swords toward each other!]

[The camp of 'Day (Eros)' shows signs of division!]

"Hilarious! It's absurd that a heavenly society, whose leader is the Black King's Apostle and now one of his egos, is still a part of the Day. If one looks at this situation objectively, it wouldn't be strange if you stabbed us in the back after turning over to the Night camp." Michael continued to ridicule Athena and Olympus. "If your society's forefather, Uranus, were ever to find out, he'd be disappointed. How would one feel if one found out that one's own society, which was originally the main axis of Day, became a pawn for the wretched Night?"

Michael was implying that Olympus, along with Yeon-woo, would eventually flip and join the Night camp.

"You know what, Michael?" Athena coolly replied, "Shut your trap. I can smell your bad breath all the way from here."

"This bitch…!" Just as Athena thought, even basic ridicule was absolutely unacceptable for Michael, who was too prideful. Beet red in the face, Michael was about to burst out in a roar. But then…

'Huh?' Michael's expression suddenly hardened as he lifted his head up. It seemed that someone had suddenly contacted him.

'What is Michael doing?' Athena looked at Michael suspiciously, but Michael remained focused on communication with someone and did not pay any attention to Athena.

With a serious expression on his face, Michael seemed to be having a deep conversation. Moments later, Michael smiled brightly as he returned his gaze toward Athena.

"…!"

Flash! Athena took a step back without consciously realizing it.

Michael's eyes…had narrowed and become sharpened. It was as if he had become a predator that was looking at a delicious prey right in front of him. Michael possessed a sense of supreme confidence even though he was standing in front of Yeon-woo's Chief Apostle, Athena.

"…I was looking for an opening anyway. Since you've given your word, there's no more reason to hide anything, right?" Hearing Michael's words, which were probably for the being he was communicating with a moment ago, Athena instinctively pulled out Aegis.

"Then, let's start right now." Michael smiled as he finished his communication. Then, as if he was expecting it, a line of messages came into everyone's mind.

['Night (Nox)' begins to set!]

'What?' Looking at that unexpected message, Athena turned her head to one side. The realm that Night occupied was slowly disappearing. As if a black veil was being pulled down, the darkness was being sucked into one place at a high speed. Athena could also see the otherworld gods being dragged away.

Whoosh! In the vacated space, Yeon-woo suddenly appeared. Athena realized that Yeon-woo had succeeded in bringing all of Night onto his side. However, Athena did not rejoice. This was because the opposite was happening with Michael.

['Night (Nox)' begins to bloom anew!]

"Then, shall we stop acting and get to the main point?"

The holy aura of light around Michael faded, and darkness ominously took its place. Michael took something out of his pocket and shoved it into his mouth.

At that moment, Athena straightened her back. Without having to look closely, she immediately knew what Michael was swallowing. 'A Soulstone!' She did not know how Michael came into possession of such a thing, but one thing was clear…

Since Michael swallowed a Soulstone, he would become very dangerous! Michael was Luciel's twin, the original owner of the Soulstones. Then it was clear that the wavelength of his soul would fit better with the Soulstone than anyone else.

Bam! Sss… Thus, Athena kicked hard off the ground. The nine-layered Aegis danced in circles as it rotated at high speed, and a sword thunder strike shot out from her sword.

Crack! Rumble! The black and red sword thunder strike blazed as if it was about to explode at any moment. It split the air as it crossed the battlefield.

[Olympus and Malach are at war!]

"Good!" Michael burst out laughing in front of the strike.

The sword thunder strike was so powerful that it could seemingly annihilate any god that was unfortunate enough to get in its way. However, Michael grabbed a spear that was much larger than his own body and raised it upwards. The phrase 'Quis ut Deus (Who is like God)?', which was written on the surface of his long spear, gleamed with splendid brilliance. Michael's 'Mont-Saint Michel', his long spear and weapon of choice, had merged with the nature of the Soulstone – Temperantia (Temperance).

As the explosively soaring flames from Michael's long spear collided with the sword thunder strike, lightning flashed across the sky in all directions. It was a breathtaking sight that seemed to foreshadow the beginning of the end of days.

Sss… Above Michael's head, the Night that had just been sucked into Yeon-woo's shadow was being recreated.

['Night (Nox)' is in full bloom!]

Although the color of darkness was lighter and the size was smaller compared to the previous Night, the fact that Michael was able to recreate Night itself was shocking for everyone. Though Michael had caused a lot of trouble, he was still considered a colleague in Day. In fact, Michael had killed his fair share of otherworld gods. However, it became obvious that his previous actions were all a ruse. Having swallowed the Soulstone, the story had completely changed.

Under the pitch-black darkness… Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Suddenly, the archangels, who were completely infected with darkness, lost the focus in their eyes and rushed haphazardly towards Olympus while giving off melancholy cries.

[The blessing and protection of 'Night (Nox)' have been given to Malach!]

***

That. Not. Us.

Different. Night.

Different. Smell.

Father. Do. Not. Take. Wrong. Way.

Not. Us.

Once Yeon-woo heard the otherworld gods in his shadow shouting that they had absolutely nothing to do with this new Night, Yeon-woo instantly realized that the Night Michael had recreated was the Sage's…or in this 'dream', the being named Yvlke.

'I thought you'd have your hands tied for a while due to the other egos, but I guess you've decided to bring out a hidden card?' Yeon-woo was mildly surprised that Sage's hidden card was Michael, one of Metatron's loyal followers and Malach's second in command.

It was not immediately known whether the two had colluded in the Tower or whether it was while Yeon-woo was sleeping, but two things were certain. One was that the battle with Sage/Yvlke was not yet over. As for the other certainty…

'It won't be as difficult as before since I've taken away a considerable amount of his darkness. I'll show him who the true owner of this 'dream' is.' After all, Yeon-woo did possess some recently acquired useful existences of his own.

"Show them who the real Night is."

As soon as Yeon-woo finished his statement… Sss. Whoosh! As Yeon-woo's shadow spread across the ground, the beings of Night came out one after another and pounced on Malach. The true beings of Night were not planning to lose their title.

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