"Just who are you, really?"
Seeming to know his end was near, the Monarch of Destruction was surprisingly calm.
The rage from moments ago now felt like a facade.
At this moment, he didn't resemble the King of Dragons symbolizing ruin and cruelty, but rather a middle-aged man who had simply run out of strength.
Perhaps in acknowledgment of his calm acceptance of death, Castorice spoke softly, "The administrator of the underworld and the dead. You may call me Thanatos, or you may call me the Hand of Shadow."
"You are the God of Death?"
The King of Dragons's expression shifted slightly.
"After today, you too will become a resident of the underworld."
Castorice extended her right hand. Accompanied by sludge-like magical energy, a scythe materialized in her grasp.
Hearing this, the King of Dragons could no longer lie still.
Knowing I can't win and choosing to die with dignity is one thing, but being killed and then forced to serve under you? That's entirely another.
No matter what, the King of Dragons would never become anyone's subordinate.
Yet even as he struggled with all his might, it seemed almost pitiful under the claws of the death dragon.
Despite the vast difference in their sizes, the enormous gap in magical power and intrinsic nature created a bizarre scene—like a child pinning down a grown adult with a single hand.
This only fueled the King of Dragons's fury, leaving him utterly helpless.
"Rest assured, if you are unwilling, you will not become anyone's subordinate."
Castorice's voice held not a hint of fluctuation despite the King of Dragons's struggles.
It was as if a higher being was observing the futile resistance of a lower one, unable to stir even a trace of emotion.
Watching the scythe draw near, the King of Dragons opened his maw, intending to unleash his breath, only for Pollux to press a claw down on his head.
"May your spirit find peace in this quietus."
The scythe in Castorice's hand was minuscule compared to the King of Dragons's colossal form. Yet, with a single swing, the light vanished entirely from the dragon's eyes.
Then, she turned her gaze into the distance.
An elderly man, his formal attire torn in many places, his body unable to support itself, yet his expression steadfast as ever, was being helped along by a younger man at his side.
They were slowly making their way toward her.
Castorice paid no further mind to the dragon's corpse, now devoid of spirit, and moved to meet the two.
"Sir, your condition is quite poor."
Looking at the old man nearly brought down by his aged body, concern surfaced on Castorice's face.
"I should have been swept into the dustbin of history long ago. Holding on until now is a miracle in itself."
Go Gunhee actually chuckled a couple of times, unconcerned about his current state. Signaling for Woo Jinchul to stop supporting him, the old man strained to straighten his posture.
"I never imagined it would be you who ended this long war."
His words went straight to the point, causing a flicker of confusion to cross Castorice's face. She couldn't help but glance toward Woo Jinchul.
"He already knows."
Go Gunhee stated, "I've told him everything. After all... as the next Chairman of the Hunter Association who will succeed me, he needs to know the truth of this world."
Woo Jinchul bowed toward Castorice, then spoke with respect, "Please do not mind my presence, Lady Thanatos."
"Though I never expected you to be the God of Death...? But if we're talking about a female God of Death, the only one I know is Ereshkigal..."
Go Gunhee stroked his chin, unable to match Castorice with any deity from this world's legends.
"My likeness likely does not appear in human myths..."
Castorice had long prepared her backstory, though she hadn't expected to reveal it now. "In truth, I have only recently succeeded to the position of Thanatos. Before that, I was human, just like all of you."
"Succession, is it?"
Go Gunhee's expression turned slightly peculiar.
If it's about succession... the Monarch of Shadows also succeeded recently. For two death-related entities to both assume their roles around the same time was indeed a bit...subtle.
"At this moment, are you Chairman Go, or the Fragment of Brilliant Light?"
Castorice inquired.
"I am Go Gunhee, but you could say I am both."
Go Gunhee smiled. "We have fought side by side for many decades."
Castorice gave a slight nod. So it's similar to Sung Jinwoo's situation?
Though the Fragment of Brilliant Light evidently hadn't truly fused with Go Gunhee. Perhaps, rather than becoming one, they perceived each other more as partners in sync, heart and mind.
Moreover, Go Gunhee had long been prepared for death. He couldn't cling to life and his position forever. Both he and the Fragment understood—this was a human world, a human society.
Their duty was done. It was time for them to step off the stage.
"Chairman Go? And Chief Woo?"
Cha Hae-in's voice rang out from mid-air.
The strength of both now far surpassed that of ordinary Monarchs. With each facing a Monarch one-on-one, victory was a foregone conclusion.
Cha Hae-in couldn't use portals, and having crossed paths with the Monarch of Fangs before, she naturally sought him out.
Meanwhile, Sung Jinwoo, an assassin who could use portals, was the perfect counter to the support-oriented Monarch of Transfiguration.
After dealing with their respective opponents, the two had hurried back.
"With the King of Dragons's death, the Legion of Destruction is in complete disarray."
Sung Jinwoo landed on his flying dragon and reported directly.
"And the survivors?"
That was Go Gunhee's greatest concern.
"Protected by my soldiers. There were no casualties among the survivors."
Sung Jinwoo calculated. "Busan, as the first city where the Monarchs descended, suffered the heaviest casualties. But citizens in other regions had mostly entered shelters early on, so the number of casualties elsewhere isn't actually high."
This outcome was largely due to Cha Hae-in containing the bulk of the enemy forces immediately upon the legion's arrival. It was only later, overwhelmed, that other enemy units slipped through.
But afterward, Sung Jinwoo's appearance stemmed the initially one-sided assault.
"Can the casualty count be estimated...?"
"Approximately... one hundred and twenty thousand."
The number from Sung Jinwoo's lips weighed heavily on the atmosphere.
One hundred and twenty thousand. It was actually fewer than the deaths on Jeju Island back then.
Compared to South Korea's population of over fifty million, it might seem insignificant. But... not a single person here viewed human lives as mere statistics.
Cha Hae-in looked at Castorice, tentatively asking, "Castorice..."
"I'm sorry, Cha-sunbae..."
Castorice knew what she meant but could only shake her head regretfully.
"The boundary between life and death is clear. Even if exceptions occur occasionally, they cannot be treated lightly."
'Occasional exceptions' means it can be done... but not this time.
That was only natural. Many among those hundred and twenty thousand had died right before others' eyes. Resurrecting them under such circumstances would cause the news of returning from death to spread instantly.
Furthermore... setting aside the external consequences, Castorice herself had no desire to disrupt the underworld's rules on such a massive scale.
"No need to apologize. I was being thoughtless..."
Cha Hae-in was straightforward, not foolish.
Such an act, violating the natural order of life and death, truly shouldn't set a precedent.
Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy, Go Gunhee decisively steered the conversation back to practical matters.
"Alright, we still have much to do. There's no time for sighing and lamenting. Before we mourn the dead, we must first secure the living!"
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.