In the next moment, nobody could figure out what had happened. Even Dohyuk, who made it happen, didn’t realize what happened, except for the fact that he realized that something had exploded out of his feet.

“What..”

He couldn’t even be prepared. A severe shock threw Dohyuk to the back as he came crashing down onto the metal floor. He was okay only because of Kasha, as she exploded on the ground right before Dohyuk came into contact.

That would’ve made Dohyuk burn, but his resistance against flames protected him.

Even then…

“…Ugh.”

Dohyuk spat blood from his mouth. It wasn’t the landing. It was the shock itself that had damaged him. However, the explosion wasn’t from Bill.

‘I did it.’

He didn’t know how he did it. Some mysterious power from his kick unleashed such a huge explosion.

“H-hey… do your… feet hurt?”

“What?”

Dohyuk then realized after hearing Kasha.

“Oh.”

The foot that he kicked with. There was nothing below his knee. It was as if his foot had been pulled out. Yet for Dohyuk, it wasn’t something to be worried about. He put his hand into his pocket and reached for the ring.

“Digest.”

Through the light, his leg grew back. But as he stood up, his body shook as blood started flowing out from his nose. It seemed his internal injuries were much more severe. Since he could continue fighting, Dohyuk just shook his head and looked.

‘Bill…’

Of course, his opponent was in a much worse state. It was so bad that Dohyuk didn’t realize that the black soot that was looking at him was Bill at first. There was no more metal. His entire skin had been burnt into dark soot. Every part of his body was now melted and twisted.

“…”

After Bill let out a breath, Dohyuk realized he still had eyes and a mouth.

“…”

Bill looked at Dohyuk, and then looked down. He was in shock.

“I… uh…”

“Hey.”

Dohyuk’s voice was shaky too. He couldn’t feel the presence of a beast from Bill anymore. Was he doing some kind of a trick? To let Dohyuk believe that he was no longer a beast? A lot of theories flew past Dohyuk’s mind. The most exact answer was that the mysterious attack that made him lose a leg struck Bill and brought forth some unknown change.

“Uh…”

Bill tried to speak, but he couldn’t. Was it because his tongue was damaged? Or his vocal chord had burned? Maybe it was both. Dohyuk relaxed. It might be the wrong choice, but he thought he needed to approach Bill right now. He was still alive. He needed to get him back to his feet and listen to what he had to say.

That’s when-

“…!”

Dohyuk saw silver tentacles shooting up from Bill’s back.

“BILL!!!”

Dohyuk ran at full speed. But it was too late. The silver tentacles shot down and penetrated Bill’s chest. Bill spat out blood from his mouth as tentacle held up Bill’s body and shook it.

-Thanks to you.

With the voice, the original master of this region showed himself. It first was like Blass, a metal body with no features, but it soon began showing its color.

-I can only bestow a fraction of my power… but it was still unpleasant to have a petty Nature oppress me in my own region.

Mayhab. The God of Steel. He now had a distinct human shape, more so than any god Dohyuk had faced until now. It seemed the god himself also was minded his appearance as he formed some armor to cover his metal body.

-So, didn’t you have something to hand over to me?”

“…Put it down.”

-Hmm?

The head with a dignified helmet turned to Bill who was being hung up in the air.

-Oh, I’ll grant you mercy on that.

And with that, the tentacle flicked it off to throw down Bill on the ground. Bill was thrown toward the opposite side of where Dohyuk was standing, but he didn’t fall onto the ground.

“…!”

Dohyuk gritted his teeth as he landed with Bill in his hands. He checked Bill first. He was almost like a corpse, but Dohyuk clearly saw it.

‘He dodged it.’

Before the tentacle penetrated him, Bill moved very slightly. He had about 20cm diameter hole on his chest, but it did not penetrate his heart. Dohyuk heard the heartbeat from the man’s chest and looked up.

-Oh, so I can receive my offering now?

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

No, Dohyuk knew exactly what he was talking about. The god in front of him was telling him to hand Jung Ilgyu over. Even when Bill did something to overpower the god, it was certain that the god had sensed Dohyuk and Jung Ilgyu’s presence when they entered the region.

-Don’t try to play games with me, young one.

Mayhab seemed relaxed even though he just barely got out of Bill’s control and that his metal body was weak against Dohyuk’s heat.

-I see you’ve emptied your faith.

“…Hah.”

-So, don’t try to think that you can fool me.

And with that, Mayhab looked around. The change was already happening. The pool of metal that was boiling with Dohyuk’s heat was now cooling.

-It was an interesting trick, but it’s too much of power for a young one like you to wield, especially when you don’t have that many followers.

Dohyuk did not object. He could’ve lied, but it seemed Mayhab really knew how much faith Dohyuk had left.

-Faith: 40,124

Needless to say, the power he used wasn’t cheap at all.

-So, bring Jung Ilgyu to me now.

“You know he ran,” Dohyuk said as he placed Bill on the ground.

“If you are saying that because you sensed us coming here, then you already know he’s run already.”

If Jung Ilgyu was here, Mayhab could’ve just gone after him.

“Don’t play games with ME and say what you want to say.”

-Hmmph.

Mayhab smiled arrogantly and snapped his fingers. From the port, figures popped up from the ground. It was Mayhab’s people who had turned into metal like their master.

-Well, if you do not have my offering, you must pay for it otherwise.

Mayhab pointed toward the ground.

-Kneel. Kneel and serve your body and mind.

This.

This was what most gods wanted from Dohyuk after all. The god that had a human body. If a god were to be served by a such god, what would become of him? Until now, there was no god except Casita who had other gods under him.

“What if I say no?

-Then I will happily watch you fight..

Mayhab’s people wielded their weapons and armor. It was certain that their power far exceeded that of normal humans. Sure, they were weaker than Dohyuk, but without much faith for his power, there was no way for Dohyuk to win.

-You have two choices. Kneel, or give me time to be astonished.

“How about a third choice?” Dohyuk asked.

“You regret jumping into my business and running like a tin can.”

Then Mayhab became angry. But it seemed his pride held him back from shouting angrily.

“Don’t worry. It won’t take ten minutes.”

-Kill him.

Mayhab ordered and his men began running at Dohyuk.

And then…

All of them were thrown back. It wasn’t Dohyuk’s doing.

-Aru…

Mayhab turned back toward the sea where the streak of light came down.

“Oh, now you realize what’s out there?”

Dohyuk’s faith was almost empty. But it wasn’t because of the heat he used with Kasha. Even before he came into the region, Dohyuk already had used up his most of faith to set his city on sail.

“You think I would come here alone?”

And let go of Jung Ilgyu?

Even with the unexpected situation with Bill, Dohyuk wasn’t foolish enough to have the beast who could pose a threat to his city to run amok.

With the city in the center, the region itself was closing in. On the top of the wall, there were people with catapults, working on it busily.

Bill wasn’t his main target. He was here to fight against Mayhab.

“You.”

<>

Why would he come alone? Why would he fight alone?

He was not alone anymore.

<>

Tens of thousands of people were helping Dohyuk.

“You’re dead now.”