On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons-Chapter 245: #An Audience with Emperor (2)

Scritch scritch—

Dipping the quill into ink, I wrote on the white leaf given by the druid ant, inscribing every word as if I were an Italian artisan.

Whew. I never imagined I’d end up doing such a thing after being reincarnated as an ant.

Feeling someone’s eye on me, I stopped writing.

“Um, Anty, why are you watching so intently?”

Clenching her fists, Anty shouted energetically, “I’m admiring your handiwork! Hehe, you look so majestic!”

“Do you know what I’m writing?”

Anty shook her head. “No! But seeing how you’re working away day and night, it must be something incredible! Are you bestowing scriptures upon us? Waaaah! That would be incredible!”

Yeah, nope.

However, seeing her bright smile, I thought I’d just write something similar for them in the future if I had the chance. Anyway, she looked so cute in person. Anty was no longer a white termite, but a cute, two-head tall girl. She still had her antennae and stinger, but had more human-like features.

Yes, she had evolved. In my previous life, I’d bestowed her a name after fighting the cockroaches, leading to her evolution. However, history had changed.

“Um, Your Highness. Are you truly determined to head to the empire? Perhaps you should reconsider and return to the kingdom, focusing on its reformation...” said a bearded termite elder to Anty with concern.

He was the representative of the refugees from the Termite Kingdom. On our way to the empire, we encountered them fleeing from imperial soldiers.

Anty firmly shook her head. “I can’t abandon the path that Lord Yu Il-Shin is walking on!”

Tzzz!

Her eyes glowed red—one of a fanatic’s traits. As a father—no, a god, I was getting concerned.

About a hundred termites joined our entourage. There were originally millions, but only a select few were chosen to accompany Anty. Among them was one who seemed to be Cheon-Ho, who was to be one of Anty’s personal escorts. The termite called Cheon Sa-Ho—Johan’s reincarnation—was nowhere to be found.

History had changed indeed.

Ruuumble!

Rooooar!

The biggest proof was the Spiky Rhinoceros we were riding on. Originally, it was supposed to appear on Earth and target Seong-Yeon and me—but instead, it showed up in Antrinia, where I was.

I could think of several possible reasons—one being that the ownership of God-Maker had transferred to me. But it could also have been due to earning the Brutal Killer title. At this point, Earth’s Yu Il-Shin hadn’t gained any powers from God-Maker, so he had no reason to go to the Supernatural Phenomenon Center—and naturally, no chance of meeting Sung Mi-Ri.

Although more events would eventually unfold, we were still safe for now. Negotiations with Ant Emperor were essential in preparation for future events.

“Muuuscles! Lord Yu Il-Shin! I can see the capital!” shouted the lego-look-alike black warrior, Il-Ho, who was diligently lifting boulders.

“I see,” I replied calmly, but my hand, which held the quill, trembled.

The letters I’d sent to Ant Emperor were deliberately written in a light, friendly tone to ease his suspicions. Regardless, I didn’t believe for even a second that it’d work on him. He’d endured a life of hell and hardships beyond my imagination after all.

However, if he’d taken an interest in my letters and decided to meet me in person, that alone was more than enough.

Even though it meant that I’d die a terrible death.

I knew how strong he was. Even with the Faith of my Gayami children and refugees of the Termite Kingdom, I was still a weak god, barely achieving the Low-tier divinity. If Ant Emperor put his mind to it, he could kill and devour me at once, leaving me no chance to resist.

But I don’t wish to fight him. Neither do I want to destroy what was precious to him.

So I had to do whatever I could, putting my life on the line!

Scribble!

Clenching the quill in my mouth, I carved the final character on the leaf.

***

The Iron-blood Empire’s majestic walls towered overhead. Millions of imperial soldiers stood tense, waiting for our arrival, since the Spiky Rhinoceros was a terrifying, mountainous beast.

Meanwhile, at the forefront of the army stood a familiar figure—a mantis-like creature whom I had fought in my previous life.

“I am Kamikiri, one of the Ten Swords serving His Majesty the great Emperor! I have come forth on His Majesty’s orders to meet the god worshipped by the black tribe!”

I cleared my throat, then replied, “I am Yu Il-Shin, god of the black tribe! As you can see, I am currently in a state of discomfort. Would you kindly guide me to the emperor?”

“What? We will carry God Yu Il-Shin’s carriage!”

“No. All of you should wait outside the city gates.” I dissuaded my Gayami children.

Some of them crumbled in response.

“P-pardon? Why not! Don’t tell me you’re going to deal with that vicious emperor alone?”

“N-no! As the Saintess I should accompany Lord Yu Il-Shin...”

“No! Listen to me! This is my first and last command as your god! Are you going to disobey your god’s command?!” I bellowed with a divine power-filled voice, and my children dropped to their knees, going pale.

“Il-Ho.” I gestured to the muscular ant and whispered privately, “If something were to happen to me, take Anty and run. The druid ant will help you.”

The bearded druid ant bowed respectfully at me as we made eye contact. I had recruited him as a follower in case something bad happened. With him around controlling the Spiky Rhinoceros, we should be able to escape the imperial soldiers unharmed.

“B-but, Lord Yu Il-Shin!”

I placed a hand on Il-Ho’s shoulder. “I believe in you, Il-Ho. You must protect Anty at all costs. You can do it, right?”

Thinking that could be my last request, Il-Ho fell to his knees, hot tears streaming down his face.

“I shall obey!”

That’s right. Even if something bad were to happen to me, he could succeed me.

Turning to Kamikiri, I smiled. “Alright. Lead me to the emperor. I shouldn’t let my friend wait too long.”

“Let’s see how long you can maintain that charade. Let’s go!”

Kamikiri waved his scythe-like arms, and the imperial soldiers lifted the carriage I was on. Moments later, we arrived at the Great Hall where the emperor was in.

I could hear murmurs.

The magnificent Great Hall was the size of Jamsil Sports Stadium, filled with hundreds of thousands of half-man, half-insects. And at the end of the hall was Ant Emperor’s silhouette, seated arrogantly on a throne covered with a towering, altar-like veil. His henchmen, the Ten Swords, stood around him like statues.

I swallowed dryly. This was the beginning. I had to enlist the help of Ant Emperor and his Ten Swords if I wanted to successfully alter the fate of disastrous destruction.

-Are you Yu Il-Shin, God of the Black Tribe?

A gnawing, grim voice echoed from behind the veil.

I gasped at the sheer power his voice contained, but gritted my teeth and showed the most innocent smile I could muster.

“Yeah! I am Yu Il-Shin! Hey there, Emperor! Been a while, huh?”

His ministers turned pale at my greeting, shivering on the spot.

“Wha?! He must be insane!”

“Dear lord! How dare he address His Majesty in such a way!”

“Is he courting death?! He spoke without thinking!”

Thud thud!

Unlike my bright, innocent smile, my heart was pounding heavily inside.

Then, a mocking laughter came from behind the veil.

-Keke. How funny you are!

“Yeah, I’m a funny guy. Hehe.”

I’m harmless! I come in peace! Let’s be friends!

“Cough!”

In the next moment, tentacles stretched out from behind the veil, wrapping around my neck, lifting me off my carriage.

Ant Emperor’s glowing red eyes pierced through the veil, piercing me.

-You certainly don’t look like the bunch who failed the Tutorial. I assume you have powers related to possession like me? I don’t know what the hell you’re up to, but I won’t be deceived so easily!

“H-hyii! Y-Your Majesty!”

“Please calm down!”

The immense bloodthirst Ant Emperor exuded distorted the air, and his ministers and subjects collapsed one after another, foaming at the mouth.

Demon Lord, which was strapped at my waist, vibrated in response.

-His bloodthirst rivaled that of Killing Star! Talking is no use! Fight! There’s still a chance! Wait for an opportunity and strike him with my ultimate skill

The tentacles around my neck slowly tightened.

“Aaghk!”

I swallowed hard, reaching for Demon Lord. Of course, Ant Emperor didn’t fail to notice it—his red eyes gleefully curved like a crescent moon.

-Ho, I see. That’s how it should be. Quite a useful divine artifact you have there. Go on—struggle a little before I slaughter you. Makes the taste all the better... Hm?

Plop! Roooll!

I dropped Demon Lord on the ground. Instead, I held out the leaf I’d clutched tightly in my hand.

“Y-you can kill me...or even eat me. But...can you read this first?”

-Keke. Another one of your childish letters? I don’t wish to read any more of those.

“Aren’t... you bored?”

-What?

“I’d have been bored to death if I were imprisoned in this hell for five hundred years... I can guarantee you with my life... that this is going to be quite interesting for you...”

In truth, I wasn’t confident that I could persuade Ant Emperor with words alone. Still, there was a chance he’d change his mind through text? I was a third-rate writer with a decade-long career, after all! My consciousness faded as I ran out of breath.

As a last-ditch effort, I cried, “Ugh! I’ve even written how and who had brought you into this worl—...”

Something shifted in the emperor’s eyes.

-You! You’ll have to take responsibility for what you said!

His tentacles snatched the leaf in my hand.

Title: Legend of the Otherworldly Emperor!

Prologue

People were trapped in a huge, unidentifiable cave for unknown reasons. There were a hundred of them in total, belonging to a wide variety of age, gender, and races.

-Congratulations. All of you have been chosen as the seeds of god.

-Depending on your choices and play style, you can become a benevolent god or a malevolent one.

As he read the first page, his face distorted like a beast. Indeed, I wrote everything I’d seen in Ant Emperor’s memories. His hands gradually sped up as he flipped through the pages. It only took a few minutes to read a few pages that a writer had dedicated hours and days into writing. Right now, that few minutes felt like an eternity.

The next moment, he disintegrated my manuscript into ashes.

-You! Are you asking me to believe in this nonsense?!

Ugh, I failed... Il-Ho, I leave everything to you...

Shaaaa!

The veil covering the throne was lifted, and I was drawn to him.

“Prove what you wrote is true!”

The wretched Ant Emperor glared intently at me. I instinctively knew what he wanted to do. After all, I had written in in my story.

“I... will gladly...”

Pswoosh!

His tentacles dug into me at the same time.

Young Parasitic God, an innate power that possessed the other party's body.

“Aaaargh!”

My consciousness cut off as I felt the pain of being torn apart.

***

I wondered how much time had passed? Somehow, I was still alive.

“I command all of you to treat this man as my equal.”

I pried my eyes open and saw hundreds of thousands of Ant Emperor’s ministers and subjects bowing at him.

Then, I made eye contact with the emperor.

“Hmph. You’re finally awake, Weakling.”

Ant Emperor approached me.

“First things first. Change that disgusting title.” He looked down at me, then chuckled wickedly. “So what's your plan, Yu Il-Shin?”