CHAPTER 244: OUTER GOD

A dazzling light enveloped Silvanus entirely, but everything sank into darkness again before long.

The sudden turn of events made Silvanus snap his eyes open.

What greeted him was nothing but pitch blackness. Yet before his eyes floated something that glowed with a beautiful shade of blue.

It looked like a jellyfish, its thin luminescent tendrils trailing down, swaying gracefully, with tiny glowing dots sparkling brightly along each movement. Looking further upward was only darkness—nothing could be seen clearly.

And then, Silvanus realized he had somehow become much smaller. A suffocating, cramped feeling of confinement pressed down on him.

"I have answered your wish. You must now work for me—whether you are willing or not."

The jellyfish-like being spoke, its voice rumbling, shaking the ears, as though it could shatter one’s entire spirit.

" I-I agree."

The voice that came forth from Silvanus’s body was not his own, but unmistakably Lilith’s.

So, she truly had once been human—until this being granted her power and turned her into a monster to serve in the dungeon.

But what exactly was this thing?

Silvanus tried to raise his gaze to see what sort of existence could bestow power upon mortals.

At the same time, he seemed to sense his prying eyes.

Its tendrils suddenly lashed upward, straight toward Silvanus’s line of sight.

Silvanus’s eyes flew wide, every cell in his body screaming in terror.

An Outer God—an Outer God!

The true master behind the monsters is slowly encroaching upon this world!

The moment Silvanus realized this, his body—or his soul—felt an overwhelming force pulling him away from this place.

Where would he be sent to next, to bear witness again? This sensation was already far too familiar to Silvanus.

"No, sir, that’s wrong again."

A stern voice rang out. Silvanus understood this was a fragmented projection of the past, incomplete and disjointed.

He had returned here several times before, yet never gleaned anything crucial—except that he was indeed a fledgling god with a special bond to the angels.

The angels were both like teachers and like friends. They were also his subordinates, accompanying him on his journey of growth.

Lucifer always tried to drag him into hell, and often liked to scare children.

Raphael carried himself with calm composure, but his mind was like a volcano, quietly erupting occasionally.

Gabriel was a serene angel, always quietly following at his side, as though nothing could ever unsettle him.

And then there was one last angel whom he had never once seen.

The angel Michael.

The fledgling god raised his tear-stained eyes—and in that moment, Silvanus too beheld the appearance of the angel Michael.

This one is the most scantily dressed among all the angels.

Although Lucifer always looked flippant, at the very least, his clothing wasn’t split into scraps that only covered the bare essentials like Michael’s.

No—Michael was even bare-chested, every muscle fiber sharply defined and powerful, as though he could tear apart his enemies with his bare hands without the need for magic at all.

He bore only one wing on his right side, and another smaller wing sprouted behind his neck. Eyes lined his wing bones, opening and shutting, terrifyingly glaring at Silvanus.

Michael himself wore an expression of utmost severity, holding a ruler in hand—the very same ruler that had just smacked the fledgling god across the butt.

Had an angel really gone so far as to abuse his authority?

Unacceptable. Truly unacceptable.

"Continue your studies. You must grow faster. Otherwise, one day you won’t even be able to protect yourself," Michael said sternly. The ruler in his hand kept tapping against his own rock-solid arm as his sharp eyes bore down on the fledgling god.

Golden irises, like those of a wild beast, tracked every movement, pressing down with crushing weight.

What a strict teacher.

"Has something happened outside? You’re always so impatient."

Yet the fledgling god wasn’t afraid of Michael. The child squeezed out tears—for the angels were terrified of his tears.

Silvanus wanted to embrace his younger self immediately and plant a kiss. Finally, here was the information he needed!

Michael looked at the fledgling god, his deep voice resounding:

"You cannot yet imagine the burden of the mission you must bear. But only you can carry it. The Outer Gods are eager to invade, and to protect your universe, you must drive them back."

He paused, his profound gaze locking firmly onto the fledgling god.

"As you are now, however, another fledgling god could reduce you to dust in the blink of an eye."

Please. At present, the fledgling god was nothing more than a five-year-old child.

Silvanus thought grimly, his mind already racing to connect fragments of information.

So it really was the Outer Gods’ invasion.

He couldn’t know how the final battle had ended, but something unusual had happened. That was why he existed in another world, tasked with something he could no longer remember.

And now, he had returned here to save this world.

But then, what about the previous one? Was it safe?

From what he had learned from the angels, each god governed a branch of the cosmic tree, and within each universe were countless different worlds.

Some gods slumbered, letting their worlds develop on their own. Yet Outer Gods, no weaker than the deities themselves, also hungered for universes to call their own.

But any universe invaded by an Outer God would only wither, collapsing at last into eternal darkness.

And so, Outer Gods were hated everywhere.

What about his universe now?

How many of its worlds had already been tainted by the Outer Gods?

And he was still struggling within this world, without even fully restored memories or powers.

The feeling was unbearable—stifling, frustrating, helpless to a maddening degree.

"Do not be hasty. We will protect and stand by your side no matter what happens."

Michael’s voice rang out once more, sounding deeper, gentler.

Silvanus felt a large hand patting the fledgling god’s head, carrying warmth and affection alongside the strictness.

Yet everything before Silvanus’s eyes was already beginning to blur. He knew—he was about to be pulled away again.

When he woke, he decided to head to the angels’ shrine to seek them out. After all, at present, he had no idea how to summon the angels himself.

.

Clap clap clap...

Thunderous applause resounded, rolling waves of praise and cheerful laughter filling the space like rumbling thunder, accompanied by the constant flashing of cameras as reporters and journalists pressed their shutters without pause.

"Aaaaaaaa ■■■, I love you!"

"They’ve finally made it to this day!"

"That face belongs on the big screen!"

From afar, people screamed relentlessly, their expressions so feverish they looked as though they might faint at any moment.

"Well, future superstar, why are you spacing out?"

An arm draped over Silvanus’s shoulders, as if the two were old friends.

He turned to look, but everything before him was hazy and warped; the figure standing there looked less like a human being and more like a burning, twisted spirit.

"Silvanus doesn’t seem himself today. Being nervous is one thing, but this is a bit much, isn’t it?" someone remarked.

"Even a narcissist like Silvanus gets nervous?" another laughed.

Ah, this one knew him pretty well.

They all spoke warmly, like brothers who knew each other down to the core.

"Congratulations. I look forward to working with you in the future."

Someone stepped in front of Silvanus, extending a hand and a smile on their face. But all Silvanus could see was just that smile, nothing more.

Suddenly, that hand shot forward—grasping Silvanus by the throat!

He couldn’t move. His body felt nailed in place. The other kept smiling, that grin stretched wide, grotesque, like a demon’s.

Silvanus could only feel the air slipping further and further away from him, his throat and lungs swelling with pain as though they might burst at any moment.

Everything before his eyes slowly darkened, leaving only that devilish smile and a head of golden hair seared into his vision.