Above Your Head

The time axis of the universe was being pushed back...!!

Boomph! Hawa swung her right hand and slapped against the Heavenly God Sword. Then, right away, her right hand penetrated through Gigantes' arms like lightning and struck him in the stomach. 

"W-What the? Why are there robots all of a sudden?"

"Everyone, get out of the way!!"

The time axis was gradually turning backwards. The movement of Gigantes and Hawa was literally like a ray of light, not even taking 0.1 seconds combined. However, every time they collided, the time they were pushed back to was nearly a second. 

As time was reversed, the situation became one where other people could see the sudden appearance of two Gigas fighting. It was great that they did not think that I was riding on Hawa, but if the time was rolled back a little further, then even the post I uploaded to warn them would disappear. 

"What the hell is this... If it goes on like this, won't we actually go back to the past?" I was baffled. Was this even possible? It was not a joke. If they kept fighting like this, it would be possible to turn back the time of the entire universe and even save all the Earthlings that had died. 'But they probably won't fight that long.'

Each and every one of them were universal beings capable of destroying the Earth in a single attack. Hawa alone was an existence who had the power and authority to crush the entire solar system, but she became a Gigas that the Machine God, Dekarma, was on board. So, how great would that power be? If they had fought with physical power, the shockwaves that resulted from the collision of the sword and fist would be enough to turn the entire Earth into dust. 

However, their destructive actions were currently just limited to continent-level destruction. This was because the aftermath caused by their power was raging on a higher realm, and not something like mere physical force. This crazy phenomenon of the universe's time axis being pushed back was evidence of that. 

"No, hold on," I muttered. However, thinking about that, it led to a sudden question. "If time rolls back like this... What happens if it gets turned back to before Juan knocked me down?" If that happened, a contradiction would surface because Dekarma wouldn't have woken up if I had not been stabbed to death by Juan. But just as I thought so, the Heavenly God Sword and Hawa's fist collided again.

- Stop it.

A figure of someone stepped in between the two of them. Thuck! The sword and fist, which had been swung, stopped as if it was a mere magic trick. That figure was by no means in a critical situation even though he was sandwiched between two Gigas which were hundreds of meters in size. 

He was an old man with white hair and a beard, as well as an attractively-tall height. He was wearing a tight-fit tuxedo, giving him an outward appearance that one would only see in fashion shows or magazines. In his hand, there was a gorgeously designed pocket watch, with the hour and minute hands spinning abnormally fast. 

Dekarma's voice was heard inside Hawa, who was pulling back the fist she threw out. "Oh my, oh my. The dog on a leash has come."

Then, the old man in the suit laughed coldly. "Yes, a runaway dog. Now that I see it, it seems you're having a hard time." 

Listening to their conversation, I checked his title.

Olympus

Level 53

God of Time, Chronos

"…What? Level 53?" I couldn't help but scoff at the ridiculous level. Master Class at Level 10. Transcendent Class at Level 20. Emperor Class at Level 30. Even beyond the Untouchable Class at Level 40... It was a level that could only be seen in First-Tier Gods, commonly known as existences who were close to being Absolute Gods. 

However, Jenica saw that sight and said, "Chronos, you son of a bitch." 

I could feel my father freaking out more than Chronos himself at those words. My father exclaimed, "Hey! Why are you provoking him? Do you want to die?"

"I don't want to die. I have already died once! Chronos killed me!"

Chronos, an old man in a tuxedo, turned his head towards Jenica's screaming voice.  "It looks like you've been had by the Sword Demon King."

"Please take care of your sub-character!"

"It's not some sort of sub-character. It's just a leftover that's been discarded."

Dekarma laughed at their conversation. "Ahhh, yeah. Come to think of it, Chronos, that sort of thing did happen, right." 

"…Shut your trap."

Chronos warned him coldly, but Dekarma did not stop. Dekarma continued, "That's right. When the abuse of the power of the Gods of Olympus crossed the line, and Father destroyed the entire Olympus... Only you noticed that it was that person's scenario. Kekeke. The sight of you begging to be left alive alone, abandoning your own wife, children, and your flesh and blood, is still vivid in my mind."

"Did you not hear me telling you to shut up?" Chronos snapped. Wooooong! The clock in his hand disappeared and a giant scythe appeared. Then, as he raised the scythe and the time of the entire universe stopped. 

Wiiiiiinggggg--- Wooooooong--- I could feel time screaming from Chronos’ anger and lying down. His existence was so frightening that time couldn't move according to the providence, just like how it had been so far. 

But nevertheless, Dekarma did not stop talking. "You begged to be saved. You would do anything if you could survive. I told you, right? You were too arrogant and have done too many great sins to be forgiven. Hahaha! A discarded card, huh. That's right! It's definitely a discarded card. Because at that time, you cut off your pride and sins and threw them away! It was a pretty amazing and novel determination… None of the Asgardians survived, and you were the only one left among the Olympians who survived."

"...!" My mouth automatically gaped at the surprising fact.

Dekarma did not stop there. "It's an amazing feat that a discarded being who has fallen has honed his sword and climbed to the position of the Demon King. Moreover, you didn't even change your name and became the Sword Demon King, Chronos. I was surprised when I found out about it. I even thought you were a pretty amazing fellow."

"..." Chronos' face, which was turning cold, started to calm down. He then said, "It seems you're provoking me, Dekarma."

"That's right, but it seems I screwed up. Then again, it’s a leash that was implored upon, so it wouldn't be cut off just like this, huh." 

"..." Chronos stood still and looked at Dekarma. 

Dekarma, who had leaked Chronos’ past as if he had been excited, spoke in a calm voice at once, "Hmph, if you don't intend to commit to it, then get out of here. The situation now is just a consequential phenomenon, and we have not meddled in any flow. Don't tell me you plan to explain the rules to me?"

Upon hearing Dekarma's words, Chronos remained silent for a moment and looked back at Gigantes. You lot will lose. You know that, right?

Is it 100 percent confirmed?

Yes. That bastard is hiding his powers. 

...Thank you for your advice.

After talking like that, the image of Chronos disappeared and the clash ensued again. 

In the meantime, I was dazed because I couldn't understand the reason behind it. "What the? Why can I hear you?" I could hear the previous conversation even though it seemed like Dekarma couldn't hear it. Aside from that oddity, I also perceived the whisperings between Gigantes and Jenica, who was on top of Gigantes' head and was shooting out ultimate magic.

Hey, I don't think you can win though?

It would have at least been possible without Hawa, but...  Even if a rich man dies, his family would last for three generations. Let's look for an opening and get out of here. That bastard is the Head of Legion, an existence like no other, so we also have the option of reporting him to the Union.

But will he let you go? Seeing that there's no contact from the outside, it seems that it's been completely blocked. 

I have no choice but to give it my best shot. 

The spear of lightning, made of powerful energy, crossed through the air. All kinds of weapons made of steel appeared and counteracted it.

However, I could feel it. "It's being pushed back." As per what everyone said, I could feel the progress of the battle starting to gradually tilt. If Dekarma were to win just like this, or if the two of them ran away and the fight was over... Dekarma would come back to this place and put his hands on me. "I don't really know what he would do to me, but...  I don't have a good feeling about it. He could tear my heart apart just like 'I' did."

Clang clang! I tried to lock the door using the key. It was one of the functions of the key, but it didn't seem to have much effect. The ability to 'lock' was quite an amazing power, but this door was already locked. It was not a situation where the play on words 'lock it harder' would work. 

Knock knock! 

"...?" I freaked out for a moment, thinking that Dekarma had returned, but he was still fighting. 

"Are you there?"

I looked through the peephole at the voice coming from beyond the door. Then, I blinked as I saw the existence standing outside. "Monk Myeongwol?"

Upon hearing my words, the old man, Myeongwol, who was standing at the door, was the one surprised instead. "No... Do you know me, Iron Mask?"

It was not exactly necessary to say that I saw the scene where he cried upon seeing a bank robber die at the hands of a young child. I simply nodded. "Well, is that so strange?"

"What an honor. A great person like you knows of a common fake monk like me," Myeongwol laughed as he said that. "May I perhaps come in?"

I momentarily stared at Myeongwol as I heard his words. He did not look like an existence that Dekarma created to deceive me. It was not because Dekarma was in the midst of battle now, but because there was no reason for him to deceive me. Dekarma could break through the door after the battle ended, after all.

Clang clang! As I opened the door, Myeongwol bowed his head to greet me and then came inside. "It's fascinating. Although there are some chipping at the wall of their hearts little by little, but... I've never seen such a well-defined door."

"I've also never seen anyone here before. How the hell did you get here?"

"I came here riding the flow of Karma."

"Karma?" As I expressed a question, he pointed to my right hand, where the Carving Knife of Justice was. 

Kruwoooooong!!!  Then, at that moment, an explosion was heard. It wasn't something that happened in the Inner World, but a sound that came from the Watch window that I opened up. The window showed that the battle was getting fiercer.

"It's spectacular. It's literally a mythical fight..." Myeongwol looked at that scene for a moment, then looked at me and smiled. "Do you know them?"

"If I had to introduce them… They're like my adoptive father and biological father."

"Huh? Hahaha! Iron Mask-nim, you are also in a very complicated situation, huh." He laughed loudly and waved his hands lightly. Then, as he did that, two trees appeared on the empty ground and grew into the shape of a chair.

'Ah, come to think of it, did it say he was a Druid?'

As I followed suit as he sat down on the chair, he said, "I'm sorry to have come seeking you out so suddenly. I couldn't help it because my days are numbered. There was also something I had to say to you."

"Your days?"

"I've lived long enough, so it's time."

"But there's the Ten Thousand Years Immortal Pill, right?"

"Haha, I'm afraid to say that I wasn't very talented at fighting. I don't have to go so far to live longer." He said so and looked up at the empty air for a moment. It felt like he was choosing what to say. Then, a scene came to mind as I saw that sight of him. 

- Please take off all your clothes.

I could hear the voice of a man who sounded all too courteous, and I could see the sight of men tying his arms and legs together to a stick and hanging them between desks. There was even a towel on his face as he was hung upside down like a roasted chicken. They poured water on him, spanked him, and left him in a suffocating state.

It was even more fascinating that the mental image of others was conveyed to me naturally. It was a phenomenon that probably happened because this was the world of the mental mind.

After a while, Myeongwol said, "If you know me, do you also happen to know that I did some time in prison?"

"I remember it was because you were framed or something."

"That's right. This is something I heard later on, but it was the Public Security Prosecutor who framed me... He even served as a Prime Minister later on too. And in the end, he crossed over to the Steel World and peacefully closed his eyes after enjoying the rest of his life."

"..." I was silent, because this was a very real possibility.

Who were the first people I brought over to my Unique World? They were wicked beings. Those who were wicked but had a certain amount of intellect. Those who had authority and wealth but could not enter the Cradle of Justice, and would have died when the stage began. 

The acceptance of such people made it easy to lead the Unique World during the beginning. Among them, half were those who received sufficient education, and they faithfully followed orders as they were in a situation where they would die upon being chased out. It was also easy to handle them because I thought they were wicked beings anyway. However, on the other hand, it was also simply because I turned a blind eye to their sins.  

Myeongwol laughed. "I don't blame you, so you don't have to make that sort of expression. Of course, I used to hate you too, but... Thanks to that, that was what made this sort of thing possible too." A shape of a tree was depicted behind Myeongwol's back. 

Wooooooooong! I could feel a certain flow. It was something that was invisible to the eye, but as the leaves that fell from the tree fell by riding the flow, the overall flow began to be visible to the eyes. I gasped, "...This ?"

"It's Karma. It's also called the power handled by the Three Gods. As I became able to see this... I was able to see my past life, understand my present life, and foresee my after-life."

Upon hearing his words, I could see myself. "...This is?" I could feel a certain flow, but it seemed quite different from what Myeongwol referred to as the past life. It was a flow that was continuing in real time right now… Then, I realized. "Ahh."

That huge flow was connected to Dekarma, who was outside the Inner World.