Past Life Returner

Gillian blinked in surprise and so did Jessica. It was because thunderous rumbling was echoing from the distant sky. The noise reminded them of just yesterday when the evil god Doom Kaos had looked down upon the world with his eyes.

Much like the ancient Vikings believed thunder to be the sound of Thor’s hammering, the noise felt terrifyingly unnatural, as if it had originated from a realm beyond humanity. Also, given the circumstances so far, it was a logical reasoning. This was an era where the war of the gods had unfolded, and that was the truth.

Gillian hastily brushed his hair back. Jessica noticed Gillian’s trembling hand and his effort to control his emotions.

She said, “We were in the office just moments ago.”

Yet, Gillian did not respond. Jessica realized that he was more horrified now than she had ever seen him before. Many people outside were looking up at the sky, just like them. They were workers who had been working outside and people that the club members had brought.

However, none were as terrified as her husband Gillian. Jessica held his shaking hand and said, “What are you hiding? What have you not told me?”

Jessica’s question was sharp.

Just as Gililan tried to speak, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky. His mouth closed because of it. The clouds, the sun, and the vast blue expanse of the sky all rippled momentarily before returning to their original state.

“I am not the only one who saw that, right?” Gillian asked.

“I saw it, too,” Jessica responded.

Gillian became ghastly pale and shouted, “Gather the members! Right now!”

Seeing Gillian’s frantic reaction, Jessica felt his fear contagiously spread to her. She shivered and tightly grasped her trembling arms. Then, she sent a message to the club members.

After that she sought out Mick. Mick was the one who operated a group of janitors within the club. However, his duty was not only to physically address external issues but also to secure association meetings. He was the first one Jessica called in when she arrived at the association’s headquarters.

“I received the message.”

“What I need you to handle is the Korean government. It’s more like martial law now.”

The association’s headquarters was built in a city on the west coast of the peninsula, gifted by the Korean government. The world leaders were gathered here at the Global Awakened Association’s headquarters. While everyone hoped unanimously for the victory of the Awakened, it was true they had to prepare for the worst.

Nonetheless, if the worst-case scenario came true and the Awakened and He were defeated, ushering in the apocalypse, the imminent threat was not the evil god Doom Kaos. It would more likely be the martial forces of Korea. They would not know the club’s real name, but they certainly would not overlook the fact that the world’s most powerful leaders were gathered in one place.

“In the worst case, they might try to use the members as hostages to their advantage. Whether that is peaceful or not.”

Mick whispered into Jessica’s ear, “I will keep an eye on them. But you know, an execution order requires the highest authority. Right now, that’s your husband, Jessica.”

“Let’s make this clear first. Once permission is granted, can you handle it? This is like their house.”

Mick nodded. “Yes, for sure.”

“Then be fully prepared. Hopefully the time won’t come, but…”

It was essential for humanity to be fully ready to resist for the sake of the club members gathering in one place. They needed to prevent any external interference and unite with the members. But given that her husband was not the type to easily accept the proposal to start by beheading the Korean martial law commanders, Jessica steeled herself.

However, when the meeting began, Jessica realized how futile her determination had been.

***

It was an emergency situation, and over two hundred members had all gathered. Yet the atmosphere in the meeting room was eerily silent. Jessica discovered that there was a man standing next to her husband, who was likely the reason why. He was definitely an Awakened.

Was there an Awakened left here?

“Please take your seat. It is the chairman’s order.”

A commanding voice sounded right beside her. It was from another man guarding the sole entrance. Jessica could not see the knife in the man’s hand hidden by the wall until she entered the room. The man standing guard-like by her husband was also holding a knife. The atmosphere was tense as they could wield it at any moment.

Jessica found her seat in the middle of the room, which had been pushed to the back. Soon after, the other members, who had been making a fuss, sat down quietly.

Once everyone was settled, Gillian stood up from the throne.

“Silent tribute.”

It was a moment of silent prayer for Him, marking the beginning of the meeting. Everyone lowered their heads solemnly.

“Enough.” Gillian said shortly after sitting back down, “The phenomena in the sky was commonly seen all over the world.”

Even then, the rumbling sound continued outside. It hadn’t stopped since the first time it roared.

“So I will get straight to the point. The remaining humans also need to arm themselves. There are three steps. Firstly, we plan to arm all the soldiers currently in the military.”

Only then did Jessica realize why Gillian was frightened. His voice was trembling. She could only imagine, but never truly understood how he felt ordering the militarization of all mankind. In fact, Jessica could not believe that Gillian, her husband, had made that decision. No one else, but him…

Yet, in that assumption too, her husband wasn’t someone who would execute the order to throw all of humanity into the flames. However, the reality was clear. He was also participating in militarizing humanity, and until now, she had been misjudging him.

Jessica could vividly see her husband’s inner sorrow. Tears welled up in her eyes

The hall became noisy. Even though the knives were threatening the members from front and back, Gillian’s words were enough to throw the members into confusion.

“What…what kind of weapons are you talking about? Nothing of ours would work…”

“We have stockpiled the awakening drugs. Enough to arm the entire humanity. Remember this. Disobedience will not be tolerated. You have enjoyed privileges under His order. Furthermore, all of humanity has been protected under Him. So we will share the fate with the club.”

Gillian nodded. The man standing at the door moved to the center of the room.

Thud!

The sound of the Awakened’s footsteps echoed, and the sound was so loud from the tip of the sword striking the ground. It created web-like cracks around.

Gillian reached under the desk and pulled out a bag. Then, he took out a handful of documents and started distributing them to specific members. The paper listed the locations of warehouses in various countries and the quantity of the awakening agents. The faces of the members who saw them turned pale.

“...All of humanity will fight to the last man.”

Although it was a somber statement, ordinary people with awakening agents would be useless when the gigantic evil god started crushing the world with his massive physique.

The end of humanity was painful to the eyes of the members.

“Do you guys now grasp the protection you have had until now?”

Gillian couldn’t even muster the strength to sneer. His words were for the members and himself, so the terrifying and painful scene was unfolding before his eyes as well.

“Then, prepare right where you sit.”

Gillian returned to his spot and slumped into his chair. Taking his cue, the Awakened descended from the stage and glared at the US president. As the president was about to take out his phone, Gillian’s warning continued, “We must also be prepared to draft all adult citizens. Every single one of them regardless of their gender.”

Right then, the entrance door swung open with a loud noise. The guard who was there immediately stepped back when he saw who had entered.

“The strong will of a person can turn the world into heaven, but it can also become hell for them. The battle Odin is fighting is like that.”

It was the King of Hell, Jonathan.

***

Even if it was not for the tremendous growth he had obtained at the moment Doom Caso was defeated, his eyes had always carried a terrifying power that could subdue anyone with just a glance. Moreover, it now contained determination. No one dared to ask questions and make eye contact with him.

“The Final Stage has reached its climax without you realizing. I have come from there.”

Gillian quickly rose from his seat, but Jonathan did not sit there. He passed by Gillian and stood by the window.

“I cannot see it from here.”

He mumbled words the members could not understand. As he was tracking the battle between Doom Kaos and Sun with his eyes, he was hearing Mary’s voice inside.

“You don’t need to destroy all the light pillars. There will certainly be a point where power is divided, and I think we have passed that moment. So, please wait for Sun on the mainland. He will need you. You believe that Sun will win, right? Leave the rest to us.”

Upon entering the Overlord section, he had a clearer perception of the transcendents’ world. What frightened him was the realization that came with it. The war between Sun and Doom Kaos had been ongoing, even with the destruction of countless light pillars. Therefore, Sun’s victory was now not just a belief, but a rational conclusion.

However, what about the eternal time Sun must have faced during the process? It would rob him of all his memories! Even about who he was and why he had endured such a war. The birth of the sole deity that governed the entire universe was beyond imagination, but that was what made it frightening. How would this small dimension appear in the eyes of such a god?

Moreover, Jonathan could not bear thinking about how he would be without Sun. Only one thing was certain.

The pain of losing humanity would be nothing compared to losing him.

Just thinking about it made Jonathan’s heart ache. He turned to the members and said, “There must be something that other regions captured.”

“What do you mean?”

“Odin and the evil god.”

***

In a video updated by a user from North America, a strange phenomenon in the sky was captured. What distinguished it from other videos was that it was a new event where two different lights, one black and gold, intertwined and then disappeared.

Following that, similar videos from all over the six continents began to be uploaded. The entire range that could be filmed by the camera was dyed in two colors, and such a new phenomenon was discovered simultaneously around the world.

The relentless voice of Maruka’s King began to lose its strength in the terror that struck the entire world.

“Odin was a terror to all of us. You are under the protection of such a being.”

Billboards and monitors that always focused only on the Maruka creature all faded to white, then a familiar face appeared. The voice that began to flow then started to calm the public. Some were hugging their family inside their homes, some were out to get essentials in preparation for destruction, and some were summoned by martial law.

“The owner of the eye is the black rays of light. To us, he is called the evil god Doom Kaos. And the golden light is our leader, Odin. The Final Stage and the battle Odin wages are not far from ending, and it is certain that their victory awaits at the end. So why are you crying? Why are we fighting? What are we afraid of?”

Jonathan’s voice echoed around the world for over a day.

Around that time, the strange phenomenon discovered simultaneously worldwide began to settle in one region, and Jonathan was there. There were civilians, journalists, and even club members determined to witness His battle firsthand. Jonathan did not stop the influx of people.

The ways people expressed their emotions varied. However, the gaze they shared looking up at the sky was the same for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or status.

They were desperate.