Tomb Raider King : End Line - Chapter 07

========== CHAPTER 7. COCKY BASTARD (2) ==========

[…That is…!]

“Yeah. It’s not me breaking you, but what’s inside you.”

[!]

Metis.

She was the goddess of wisdom and strategy, and Zeus’s first wife, but when a prophecy foretold that the son she would bear would be stronger than Zeus, Zeus swallowed her. Just as he had usurped his father’s position, he feared the same would happen to him.

However, the myth goes that later, when Hephaestus slightly cracked Zeus’s head due to the splitting pain, the goddess Athena was born from within. The myth where Zeus was relieved that it wasn’t a boy.

In a way, that is his original sin.

And Zeus stopped breathing.

Just by the artifact being activated, it felt like invisible chains were binding his mind and heart.

That alone would have been enough, but Ju-heon transformed the tiara-like artifact into a gauntlet.

And with a wicked laugh, he leaped up.

“Try giving birth to a son through your head this time! You little shit!”

Kwajik!

It wasn’t the sound of metal, but the sound of bone cracking.

When Ju-heon’s fist struck the top of Zeus’s head, a reaction occurred from within.

[Kueeeeee!]

The Metis artifact was one that had been sealed until now because it was an artifact that brought out trauma, such as ‘self-denial,’ ‘fear,’ and ‘original sin.’

“That’s an artifact that would trigger trauma for a Team Leader-nim who’s committed so many sins….”

Yoo Jae-ha got hit again.

In other words, this artifact worked by amplifying internal original sin rather than external physical force.

As proof, strength drained from Zeus’s body, and his mind collapsed.

But the gauntlet struck his jaw once more.

[Kuhuk!]

Kwaaaaaang!

Eventually, Zeus fell backward, and the entire power plant fell into silence.

[Buff ‘Butcher’s Efficiency’ is activated.]

[By defeating the enemy, Majesty’s combat power cumulatively increases.]

‘Zeus,’ God-tier artifact, defeated.

Ju-heon brushed off his hands.

“You little shit, you should’ve just quietly supplied power. Where do you get off rebelling?”

Zeus’s entire form regressed back into the shape of a lightning spear.

“Then, both wives, take a break.”

Ju-heon also collected the two goddess artifacts.

At that innocent tone, Yoo Jae-ha’s frustration exploded.

“Augh! The Metis artifact is a tiara, so you could’ve just put it on his head! Why did you have to transform it into a gauntlet and beat him up?! You unnecessarily damaged Zeus’s durability even more!”

Ju-heon replied nonchalantly, as if it were obvious.

“Because I wanted to hit him.”

“…….”

Is this guy truly insane?

“Especially if it’s the work of a cheeky bastard who says you have to choose a difficulty level to meet him.”

Difficulty?

No sooner had he spoken than Ju-heon drew Gungnir.

“If you’re going to mess with someone else’s artifact, you shouldn’t have left your own energy on it.”

Ju-heon sensed the energy of an unfamiliar ability user from the Zeus artifact.

As soon as Ju-heon held up Gungnir—

[Please designate the target for Gungnir.]

“The guy who messed with my Zeus.”

[Buff is activated!]

[Location found.]

[North Latitude 37.5245 / East Longitude 126.9243]

[Seoul, Yeouido District]

Ju-heon raised an eyebrow as he checked the coordinates.

“……Yeouido? Huh, did he think he could get away with it by hiding in a forest of buildings?”

Ju-heon summoned Gungnir and pulled his arm back.

“Team Leader-nim! You can’t smash the building! We can’t handle the aftermath!”

Ignoring Yoo Jae-ha’s scream, Gungnir sliced through the air.

Kuuung!

But that was the moment.

[Gungnir’s path has been blocked.]

[Gungnir has been blocked by ‘Gungnir’.]

Ju-heon’s eyes stopped.

“Gungnir? The same artifact?”

It made no sense. There is only one God-tier artifact in this world. Could it be that the exact same artifact exists in a parallel world?

Taking advantage of that confusion, a yellow system window popped up.

[Congratulations!]

[I’ll deliver the information as promised!]

The air split open, and light fell. As the light faded, the team members all gasped.

“Ah, Irene-ssi?!”

“Why is Madam here?”

While the team members lowered their weapons, only Ju-heon pointed the tip of his spear at her neck.

“Who are you?”

The woman in Irene’s form smiled and approached, ignoring the blade. She hugged Ju-heon’s neck and whispered in his ear.

“I’m the Majesty who contacted you. I’m sad you didn’t recognize me.”

Ju-heon’s eyes narrowed.

A Majesty from another world. Could it be that there is a world line where Irene is the Majesty?

“To start with the conclusion, the child you lost. It came to me.”

“What did you say?”

“If you want this child, marry me.”

In that instant, the team members froze.

Ju-heon stabbed Irene’s chest with Gungnir without hesitation.

“Team Leader-nim?! Are you crazy?!”

But what was transmitted to the tip of the blade was not the sensation of a human body. With a crumbling sound, Irene’s form collapsed into a lump of mud.

It was a fake made of artifacts. At the same time, Ju-heon realized his chest felt empty.

The three God-tier artifacts that had been in his possession were gone. Ju-heon let out a dry laugh.

“You said you’d give me information, but you turn into someone else’s wife and pick my pocket?”

This way of pulling a stunt reminds me of someone.

And there was a shadow watching that scene with interest.

“Quite ruthless. Yeah, this is how it gets fun.”

It was someone else wearing the ‘Majesty’ ring.

Ju-heon finished his shower, wrapped a towel around his neck, and picked up a glass of water.

The TV was off.

“Haven’t you found the mutts yet?”

What the fake Irene had stolen were none other than Osiris, Set, Anubis, and the Egyptian God-tier artifacts.

Then, Ilya bowed his head, looking ashamed.

“…I’m sorry, it can’t even be detected by the treasure radar.”

“What about the Crow?”

Then, the Crow descended onto Ju-heon’s shoulder like a shadow.

[Same here.]

“…If you guys can’t find them, then they’ve truly vanished.”

Ju-heon narrowed his brows.

‘It must be the work of that guy, the Majesty from another world.’

What does he plan to do by stealing the God-tier artifacts?

At that moment, the TV clicked on.

Ju-heon sighed.

“…Rope, don’t turn it on in this situation.”

[Me? It’s not me! It’s not!]

Rope popped out from behind the closet, looking wronged and flustered. Ju-heon nonchalantly pressed the remote to turn off the TV, but….

“Hm?”

The screen didn’t turn off.

The screen was just….

Jijijijijik-

[No Input]

[No Signal]

“What the?”

And then, the sounds from outside followed.

“What is this?”

People on the street were all holding their phones and making a fuss.

“Why is YouTube suddenly-”

“All the channels have stopped. Is this a hack?”

“What’s going on? I didn’t do anything, but the screen is moving on its own.”

People on the street all looked at their phones and screamed.

No, it wasn’t just phones. Outdoor TVs, computer screens, laptop screens—at this very moment, everyone in Korea was looking at the same screen.

[Today’s death toll news.]

[0 people. The execution has not started yet.]

And a shocking sight appeared on the screen.

In the center of a circular stage, there was a large execution platform, and people tied up in chains were trembling, waiting for their turn.

“If you don’t want to be eaten, be silent. Human.”

The missing Set, Osiris, and Anubis were there.

At that moment, Yoo Jae-ha, who had been in the workshop area, came in holding his phone.

“Team Leader-nim! Did you see this?!”

“I am currently watching it.”

“Phone calls, KakaoTalk, Line—nothing is working right now!”

Ju-heon glared at the TV screen.

“…Those sons of bitches. So that’s where they went, putting on a circus. What the hell are they doing under a different master?”

More importantly, that Majesty. What is he doing with someone else’s citizens in someone else’s world?

Just then, the voice of the male host wearing a smiling mask was heard from the screen.

[Hard mode isn’t over yet♥]

[We will have time to judge those who have committed sins♥]

[The Majesty here cannot stop this disaster♥]

A man was tied to a chair on the execution platform. He had a blindfold over his eyes and a gag in his mouth.

“U, uuuung!”

[First death row inmate♥]

[This person hid for 7 years, evading the judgment of the law, despite having committed kidnapping and murder against children. Do you agree to the execution?]

“Uuuuuuu!!”

“Kill him! Kill him!!”

Cries like those of a mob poured out from the audience.

[Good. Guilty♥]

In an instant, a red light flashed on the execution platform, and the person’s head was completely blown off. The caption ‘First execution complete’ appeared cleanly on the screen.

[Then, the second death row inmate♥]

[This person received relief supplies three more times by faking ‘starvation.’ They took more than their allocated share. They destroyed the trust of the distribution system. One who dirtied the distribution of justice. Do you agree to the execution?]

“Ah, it’s not really worth dying for that much….”

“But they still lied! Shamelessly!”

“Kill him! Kill him!”

Once again, a head was blown off. This time, instead of a blade, golden scales fell and crushed the brain. The caption ‘Second execution complete’ appeared on the screen again.

And.

[Next death row inmate♥]

[This person stole money to pay for their sick mother’s medicine. Do you agree to the execution?]

The audience fell silent for a moment. Someone whispered.

“……Did they really do it because of medicine money?”

However, a few anonymous voices shouted.

“Stealing is stealing!”

“Don’t pity them! Everyone should be equal before the law!”

Amidst the pouring criticism again, the person being executed was crying. Kneeling, head bowed, hands clasped, they muttered with trembling lips.

“I’m sorry… but back then… back then… really….”

[Good. Guilty♥]

Ju-heon, watching the screen, raised his eyebrows.

‘This little shit, he needs to stop playing around.’

Is there no way to stop this insane terror?

‘This must surely be the power of an artifact as well.’

Then, he has to break the artifact.

‘Where is it? What kind of artifact is it?’

Just then, a mysterious phrase appeared at the bottom of the TV, looking like a ‘terror support account.’

– If you want to sponsor the new Majesty’s righteous execution, please contact the dedicated number. –

☎X399-489X-989

Something flashed through Seo Ju-heon’s mind.

‘An urban legend artifact where if you call a specific number, it connects to the afterlife.’

Ju-heon took out his phone. Ilya looked up in surprise.

“Team Leader-nim? Don’t tell me that number-”

The Crow was also startled.

[That artifact is dangerous.]

“Dangerous? You don’t stop cooking just because you’re afraid of a few maggots.”

He presses the numbers.

x

3

9

9

4

8

9

x

9

8

9

[Call]

Soon, Ju-heon’s vision went black.

“Keuk…!”

Ju-heon, who got up from the dust, rubbed his chin. Yoo Jae-ha, who had been nearby and got swept up in it, also groaned and barely managed to get up.

“Where is this…?”

“There!”

In front of the two people was the execution platform they had seen on the screen earlier.

A perfectly reproduced execution platform space. The execution was just about to take place. Ju-heon narrowed his eyes, summoned Gungnir, and shot it up with a flash.

The golden lightning that erupted from the spear sliced through the execution grounds and shattered the guillotine to pieces.

At that moment, the audience began to stir.

“Uuuuuuuuu…!!”

“It’s an intruder! Someone interfering with the judgment!”

“It’s a sinner, drag him down!”

Shouts and anger poured out from the entire audience.

The voices gradually turned from criticism into fanatical desire. And there was only one thing they wanted.

Execution.

But Ju-heon shouted.

“If this is guilty, then half the world is on death row!”

[That’s what they say?♥]

At that moment, everyone’s gaze in the execution grounds turned to one place.

“!”

[Now, everyone, this is the next target for execution♥]

[That person mocks the judges, dominates artifacts, and places himself above the gods.]

Before all the words were even finished, the audience fell into complete silence.

There were no curses or jeers.

Only fear and awe. An overwhelming presence.

Some people trembled. Set, Osiris, Anubis—even those gods looked at Ju-heon in silence and did not move. A deep silence, as if trying to measure and judge him.

Then finally, the host opened his mouth coldly.

[Guilty.]

The sound of the verdict being decided with a click.

At that moment, the sky split open, and a guillotine blade was created above the atmosphere.

It was a dark red iron weapon, a sickle of iron sand that seemed to embody death itself.

A black and smooth curve crossed the sky.

The target was exactly above Ju-heon’s head.

Evasion?

Impossible.

This is the space for execution itself. No matter where he dodges, the guillotine will fall in that direction.

[This person has committed numerous sins for his own gain♥]

[The judgment is carried out. Death penalty♥]

Ju-heon bowed his head.

And, he slightly raised the corners of his mouth.

“…Keuk.”

[?]

“Haha… well, I fed you and raised you, and now you’re acting like bastards.”

The blade came down. The pressure of the air that had been tightly wound up.

And at that very moment!

Kwajik!

The falling blade was broken. Right in his hand.

Ju-heon, who had blocked the god’s punishment with one palm, slowly raised his head.

“First, you who ran away from home. Guilty.”

The next moment, Ju-heon grabbed the broken blade and struck Osiris directly.

(To be continued in the next episode)