It was a tone that didnât have the slightest reverence for a god.
However, Hoculus didnât rebuke his attitude.
He wasnât expecting respect in the first place.
Watching the absurd and greedy energy ready to explode inside of him, expecting respect was going overboard.
Hoculusâ expression hardened as he looked at the old man.
âWhat a disgusting mixâŠâ
He was sure the old man had used every indecent way possible to recreate his body
Hoculus, who had been looking at the old man for a short while, spoke slowly.
âAre you trying to make a wish without even passing the test?â
âYes, thatâs right. I have to break down that door and take the test, right? Okay. Give me whatever. Iâll take care of it and return right away.â
This man was overflowing with confidence.
Hoculus couldnât blame him though.
It wouldnât be an exaggeration to say the old manâs strength was the strongest he had ever seen among the humans who had come to be challenged.
â⊠Even stronger than Vulcan. This test⊠is only a form of ritual for him.â
Being the one in charge, Hoculus summoned the demons.
These were the most violent in âLight in the Darkâ, the most difficult level of Act 2.
Even the half-gods and bravest soldiers feared them but the old man didnât look too nervous.
In fact, he was smiling.
It was like a smile of a young boy before a big meal.
The old man jumped into the crowd of demons before Hoculus could say anything.
BAAAAAAAAAAM
BOOOOM
BAAAAM
It only took three attacks.
The demons lost their lives with only two punches and one kick.
In other words, there was a huge difference between the two forces.
But Hoculus wasnât surprised at all.
He had been expecting this
He sighed, and looked at the old man, looking disturbed.
âIf he tries to go up to Act 3âŠâ
And what should he do if the old man were to be accepted as a god?
Hoculus pondered what he could possibly do to lead someone so evil and terrible to the right path.
Not everyone who had been anointed as gods were good-natured.
Some were filled with greed, while others were selfish or cold-hearted.
However, there hadnât been a single person who seemed impossible to reform like this old man.
It was to the point where he wondered whether the old man really was from the human world.
But this wasnât the end.
Something even more shocking happened.
âHaha⊠My.. youâre making this unbearable for me.â
CRUNCH.
CRUUUNCCHH.
After the battle was over, the old man looked at the corpses of the demons hungrily. He then held up the corpses, brought it to his mouth and started chewing.
âWha⊠What?â Hoculus shouted, bewildered but the old man didnât seem to care. He was ripping apart the corpses like a cutter and absorbing them.
The pile of corpses was bigger than the old manâs himself, but he continued to eat, and Hoculus looked on as if it were magic. After he was done eating, the crazy old man burped loudly and smiled, satisfied.
Then, he spoke.
âlet me say this again. I have a wish to make.â
* *
Hoculus stood quietly in the temple.
He looked concerned and relieved at the same time.
He then murmured to himself.
ââŠ.. I suppose this is for the better.â
The old man hadnât gone up to Act 3 as he had worried.
He had simply spoken his wish and left quietly.
No â his wish itself was being teleported to another place, so it was inaccurate to say he had left quietly on his own accord.
Anyways, the situation had ended better than he thought.
The place he had been transported to was a place Hoculus didnât have to care whether the old man wrecked havoc.
âIn a way⊠itâs the best place that suits him.â
Even so, he couldnât understand why the old man would go to such a dangerous place on his own accord.
He didnât even want to understand why.
Hoculues violently shook his head, as if deliberately wanting to forget the past memories.
âI want to take a breakâŠ.â
He hadnât used much of his powers, but he was very tired.
He stretched out his forefinger and drew a line in the air.
A blue light exploded out of thin air following the line he drew midair, and the magic portal was complete.
He let out a deep sigh and was about to step in, grasping his forehead with his left hand, when he felt someone coming in to the temple once more.
Hoculus slightly frowned, not wanting to deal with anything when he needed rest right now.
As soon as he saw who had entered, however, he felt instantly better.
Hoculus grinned welcomingly, for it had been a while since he had seen the newcomer last.
âVulcan! Welcome!â
* * *
Unlike his trips to Act 1, which was once every few years in Earthâs time, Vulcan rarely made visits to Act 2.
It was mostly because there wasnât anyone he was that close with.
He knew Hoculus and Honus though well of him, but their hospitality was a little overbearing for Vulcan.
That was why the two were seeing each other in such a long time.
They didnât have much to fill each other in, though.
Vulcan had been quietly enjoying his days after the battle with the Devil King, and Hoculus had his everyday duties as well, so there wasnât anything special to talk about.
Of course, there was that slight conflict with the old man just now, but Hoculus didnât want to talk about that right now.
Instead, he started talking about the acquaintances they knew in common.
âI see. I was expecting the Blue Winds to come along, and the same with ClutusâŠâ
âAh, well.. I did think he would be a god one day. Who knows? He may be stronger than you. Hahaâ