Level 0 Master

* * *

Watching his teammates being swept away, Sungjin made a frustrated fist.

D*mn it… To think they'd be defeated so easily.

Watching Sungjin, the dark Sungjin laughed mockingly. "Is that the limit of your subordinates' strength?"

"They're not my subordinates. They're my teammates."

"That's even more pathetic."

"I accept your victory, but don't mock my teammates."

"I'm only pointing out what's pathetic. You should have known that they're weak."

"My victories would have been impossible without them."

"Hahaha. Hahahaha." The dark Sungjin laughed heartily and stared at Sungjin with cold eyes. "Really? If you and I had become one, you could have earned an easier victory. You haven't won because of them. You were held back by their incapability."

"Yes. Such a method would have been easier." Sungjin did not deny his words. If he had absorbed his darkness sealed inside hell, he could have won much more easily. It was not what he had wanted, but was the truth he could admit to. "But that is not victory. It's simply another loss for abandoning my dream."

"Ha. A victory is a victory. Putting a meaning to it is simply a variable."

"It's the difference between losing to an enemy or to myself. Having lost my goal, that would mean a loss."

"Ha. Isn't it also your desire to challenge the best? You are the loser, wrapped in your own delusions of being virtuous."

"It hasn't been decided who won."

"Then let us decide now." The dark Sungjin pulled out his sword. Unlike Sungjin's sword, his sword was wrapped in darkness.

The figure was…

[Dusk Bringer]

It was the exact opposite to Sungjin's sword. What were its properties?

"You guys stand back."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The six devil lords accepted Sungjin's orders and stepped back.

"I'll give you a chance. My subordinates have won, but I'll fight with you one-on-one."

In response to dark Sungjin's ease, Sungjin pulled out his own sword.

[Dawn Bringer]

The sword that cut chaos and brought light was revealed. "I'll take up your challenge."

Which was his "true" self? Which was the shard and which was the main soul?

There was no point in debating.

The victorious would decide.

* * *

Sword and sword continuously clashed. Fists rose into the air, and kicks were exchanged. They repeatedly clashed in the air, fell apart, and clashed once more.

They read each other's movements and the best way of counterattacking. It was a tense exchange of calculations and comparable use of controlled skills—there wasn't a single foot out of place beyond their physical movements and weapons. Because they were equally matched… the fight wasn't advantageous to either side.

The energy expelled from the sword changed the topography. The sea evaporated, and the mountain collapsed. The ground was cleaved, and the forests burned.

Because their movements were faster than their respective light and dark power's attributes, they were above earth's measurement of 34 maha.

"Do you think Sungjin can win?"

At Ereka's question, Eustasia gripped her sword. "I don't know. They're evenly matched."

"But… if… Sungjin becomes the victor…"

Eustasia looked at the six lords standing behind the dark Sungjin.

"Would they leave him alone?"

If even one of them stepped up, the balance would be broken.

"You know they won't."

"… You're right."

They closed their mouths. No matter how they viewed it, the current situation indicated their loss. But still, they kept cheering.

If Sungjin won, they had at least a little chance.

Light and darkness fought. Six white wings and six black wings clashed several times in the air and flew back down.

The dark Sungjin laughed in excitement. "Reaping the powers of your subordinates to create six wings of light. Not bad. But it's not up to my level."

"Why don't you talk after you've won."

"I'm about to." At the same time, light poured out of the dark Sungjin.

"This…" Sungjin immediately predicted the worst case scenario, and that prediction came true.

Six wings of light appeared above the six black wings on dark Sungjin's back.

Sungjin's teammates screamed in terror. "No way."

"Didn't he choose the darkness?"

"How… did he gain the wings of light?"

The twelve wings emerged within the darkness. "Be released. Holy sword." Light exploded out of the dark Sungjin's dark sword.

[Dawn Bringer]

He held each of the swords in each hand.

Two large powers wavered around him as the sword of holy light and darkness resonated.

The presence that controlled both the darkness and light made his existence stronger.

Time-space trembled, and every living being held their breath. The immense ki became silent, and the continents bowed.

The six devil lords kneeled in unison. "We greet our master's true self."

It was the true image of a traitor who boasted dictatorship over the strongest demons of hell and was worshipped, ambitious enough to fight the gods and burn both heaven and hell with warfare.

"You would have learned if you couldn't remember. 'We' have more than six wings."

That was true. According to mythology, six wings was the symbol of archangels, the greatest of the angels, but Lucifer was even more special.

"You. Do you also control the light?"

"Yes. I swallowed it and made it mine."

"Kuk." Sungjin grabbed his sword. In the midst of his hurting head, memories flowed in that were not his own.

* * *

It was him.

At the beginning.

He was facing himself, who was not really himself.

The fork in their paths was when he had to choose whether or not to gain Lucifer's power at the expense of Ereka.

He gained Lucifer's power. In Hell, he became one with the dark dragon who polished his hatred, anger, and jealousy for God.

The beginning was the death of Ereka. Then it was easy.

All he needed to become the "King of Hell" was to regain his original strength.

Humans were insignificant. Like how humans ate food as an energy source, he used the souls of humans as his energy source.

The light, the dark. The good and bad. Every one of them were burned by the fires of hell and swallowed as his sacrifice. He swallowed the good souls and gained the power of light. The power of darkness was inherent within him. By completing both conditions, he almost recovered his original form.

Then he stepped on two challengers who came in "turns" from different timelines. And waited. To get the rest of his soul and a chance to be perfect.

The Valhalla he had descended on couldn't be called hell anymore. All life had been destroyed. Humans, of course, but also animals, plants, and insects.

In hell's flames, only his sub-devils were free, waiting for another day to fight God.

* * *

I see, he…

He had not become one with just the power of darkness sealed in hell.

If he could spread six white wings through his bonds with his six team members, the enemy…

You swallowed all the humans, or the whole parallel world, as your sacrifice.

And after taking him down, dark Sungjin planned to make all of his Valhalla a sacrifice.

Killing a world was not something to be hesitant about to the king of hell.

I need to stop him. This guy has to be stopped. If this guy wins, it won't end with just my defeat.

Ereka, Jenna, and Eustasia. Rachel, Zakiya, and Sooryun, too.

All of his team members would be sacrificed and killed, and everyone who was waiting for his news was going to die.

Beyond the death of their flesh, their souls would be burned in hellfire.

Such a terrible ending should never come to everyone, but how can I stop this? How can we overcome another self with equal wisdom and overwhelming power?

Justice wasn't a power. Morality was not the key to victory.

"Now you've predicted your loss."

Sungjin countered dark Sungjin's words by holding tightly onto his scabbard. "Ha. The game isn't over yet."

"Ha. You are me, so I know. Your brain has predicted correctly, even if your own mind has rejected it."

"I say the opposite. Do you think you'll give up without fighting, even after a rational judgement?"

"Hhahahaha. Okay, that's me." Dark Sungjin laughed happily.

He could speak on an equal ground with himself. He saw the same things he had. How long had it been since he faced someone like himself? Even if all the demons in hell were his subordinates, no one could be his "equal." None of the two Valhalla offered an equal match. Only he was fit to be his own opponent.

"But it's disappointing that you're not that powerful. You could have been as strong as me."

Two souls that were originally one. As such, their qualifications were comparable. Each one's potential was the same. If they had made the same choice, they would have reached the same location.

"Why did you choose to stay weak while leaving the path to becoming the strongest?"

He was disappointed and angry that the person he had been waiting for was "weak." In the final game for becoming the Arc Master, was his enemy only this?

However, Sungjin accepted that fact without losing. "I am the one who's disappointed. It means nothing to triumph over the enemy as a human being. You're just a loser who gave up a difficult game and ran away with an easy cheat. "

"The loser? Hahaha, hahaha." The eyes of dark Sungjin rapidly became cold. "This power?"

Two holy swords attacked Sungjin at the same time.

"Kuk."

Sungjin tried to hit it back with just one sword, but…

"How slow."

A two swords attack was not simply double the strength. The same sword struck out Sungjin's sword. At the same time, the evil sword stabbed Sungjin's side.

"Kuk."

The dark Sungjin pressed down on the bleeding Sungjin. Sungjin fell vertically down to the ground. The land broke and cracked all over, creating a deep crater.

Because he was a Kaiser, he didn't shatter, but the bones and organs in his body broke apart.

The dark Sungjin overwhelmed him with overwhelming power and looked down at Sungjin. "Be honest. You are me. That's why I know your truth."