# It’s Karma (3)

“Gasp.”

Eruhaben subconsciously took a deep breath in.

His head quickly turned toward Cale and the sculpture on the temple wall.

‘What the-’

His forehead was almost instantly covered in sweat.

The moment that the book surrounded by darkness in Cale's hand covered the sculpture’s face, he had felt an aura from the sculpture.

It was a terrible and eerie aura.

It made him feel powerless, as if he was being dragged down an endless swamp, and also made his heart rumble.

The other Dragons were looking toward Cale and the sculpture as well.

This terrible aura that was so terrible that it made them turn their heads even in this urgent situation was so terrible that it made young Dragons like Dodori take deep breaths in and out over and over.

“Ugh.”

Mary plopped down on the ground. Choi Han was supporting Mary and did not dare to move toward Cale.

“Human!”

However, Raon tried to urgently fly toward Cale.

However, red mana moved past Raon at that moment. Eruhaben snapped back to his senses the moment he saw the red mana.

The red mana created another barrier around the orb with the sticky red light flowing out.

The ancient Dragon saw Rosalyn, whose eyes were dripping with sweat as she maintained her mana to cast the spell.

“...Smart girl.”

There was no way that Rosalyn was not affected by this aura when even Mary and Choi Han were affected. In fact, Rosalyn should have been affected quite a bit as she was the weakest in here after Clopeh.

This endless feeling of powerlessness and deeply sinking emotions...

The reason she was less affected by these two things was probably because she was looking at the present situation in a rational way.

That was one of the best talents when it came to magic.

“Raon.”

“...Gramps.”

“Don’t bother him and just watch.”

Raon nodded his head and moved to Cale’s side.

Eruhaben did not look at him and turned his head. The Dragons were looking at Rosalyn’s mana barrier before making eye contact with Eruhaben.

“I can’t lose to her!”

Starting with Rasheel, the Dragons started gathering their mana to stop this sticky red light.

It would be hard to find a situation like this where so many Dragons were working together.

“Mm.”

However, Eruhaben soon frowned.

“Should we have had Raon add his power too?”

Craaaaaaack--

The orb above the temple could no longer maintain its form and cracked.

“My connect together is not working.”

Mila, whose attribute allowed her to connect things together, held back her anger as she spoke.

Siiiiiiizzle-

The red light that flowed out swallowed the Dragons’ manas and tried to cover everything under the sky.

On the other hand, the Dragons were doing everything they could to keep that red light tied down. They tried their best to persist.

The eeriness and ominous feeling coming from the red light made them think of death.

‘We will keep it up until Cale is finished with his task.’

They didn’t know whether that was possible, but they had to make it happen.

“Mm!”

It was at that moment. Alberu felt a different aura behind his back, to be more specific, where Cale should be standing.

The aura he had been feeling until now was one that made him powerless as if he was falling down an endless pit.

This new aura was different.

The identity of this aura came instantly to him, without any need for an explanation of understanding.

‘Death.’

There were no physical or emotional changes in him. He just thought of that word.

Eruhaben could not turn back as he was focused on stopping the red light, but he got cold sweats on his back.

‘Cale-

What the hell are you doing, what kind of power are you using, you little punk?’

He was both shocked and concerned about Cale.

“Ugh!”

Mila, who had cast the first beige barrier, clenched her hands together. Rasheel shouted at that moment.

“Holy shit! It’s starting to run wild!”

The red light started to run wild the moment Alberu had felt the aura of death.

It felt like the last attempt out of desperation.

It felt as if it was trying to kill at least one more living creature.

“...Cale, hurry up.”

The ancient Dragon mumbled and walked as close to the orb as possible. He then stretched out both hands.

Chhhhhhhhhhhh-

Golden dust scattered around the orb, looking like an aurora.

Eruhaben’s hands waved through the air once more and the golden light started surrounding the red liquid and the Dragons’ mana barrier.

He was creating this as a last line of defense.

Oooooo-- oooooo--

The shield created by the humans was above the sky of Puzzle City, however, that was truly the final, last resort.

It was at that moment.

Screeeech-

A chilling noise flowed out of the temple.

He was sure it had to do with Cale. Eruhaben hoped that Cale would stand firm and get it done while focusing on stopping this red light.

As for Cale, he subconsciously mumbled.

“Are you two having a fight of will?”

He had used Embrace.

However, the sealed god was not embraced immediately.

The God of Despair let out a mysterious aura, as if he was playing his final card, and tried to push Cale away.

‘No, he's trying to swallow me.’

The feeling of falling and powerlessness tried to seep into Cale.

Cale immediately realized that falling into these two feelings would allow the sealed god to control him even if he managed to Embrace him successfully.

‘This must have been the scheme the sealed god had in store when making that deal with me.’

He also immediately understood the sealed god’s original plan.

However, it would be difficult for the God of Despair's plan to work now.

Another god’s item was here right now.

Shhhhhhh-

The darkness surrounding the God of Death's divine item and the formless aura flowing out of the sculpture were clashing against each other.

Death was trying to pull the sealed god into his domain.

The darkness surrounding the divine item and Cale was protecting him while swallowing the sealed god’s aura.

‘Fuck! Hurry the fuck up!’

Cale bit down on his lips.

His hands that were holding the book were shaking.

It truly was different.

He had never felt like this while Embracing the White Star, the fake World Tree, or anything else.

‘It’s so much that it feels like it is going to overflow.’

His breathing was slowly getting heavier.

His whole body was covered in cold sweat and his hands that were holding the book were shaking more and more.

It was different from the Embrace he used in the past that ended quickly.

Baaaaang!

The sound of the two gods’ powers clashing echoed in his ear.

The quiet clashes were getting louder.

Baaaaang! Bang! Baaaaang!

Cale’s ears started ringing and his head started hurting. It felt as if something was ringing in his head.

“Human!”

He heard Raon's voice at that moment.

Cale felt the two gods’ powers still fighting against each other and asked.

“The situation?”

Raon did not dare to approach the darkness surrounding Cale and was a bit away. The black Dragon frowned after hearing Cale's voice.

On, who had come with Raon, opened her mouth at that moment.

“The orb cracked and lost its form, nya! That liquid-like red light seems difficult even for the Dragon-nims to stop, nya! That red light is swallowing mana!”

Cale closed his eyes.

‘Will that red light disappear even if I Embrace the sealed god like this?

What if it doesn’t?’

It was one thing if the orb was just cracked, but if it was to the point where it lost its shape, it wasn’t wrong to say that there was no god’s device to stop that red light.

Cale always had to prepare for the what-ifs.

“On, head to the Forest of Darkness.”

He lowered his shaking voice as much as possible as he spoke.

“Once you’re there-”

It was at that moment.

Boom--!

Cale's insides rumbled.

“Ugh.”

He felt as if he would throw up.

He heard a familiar voice in his mind.

- He’s resisting more than I expected. You may need to use a little more power. Will you be okay?

Cale realized that the voice echoing in his mind belonged to the God of Death.

Was it this difficult to use a divine item to hear a god’s voice?

He cast aside multiple thoughts on his mind and nodded his head.

‘Yes! Use it, use it! I'll persist.’

Cale was quite confident in his ability to persist.

The God of Death did not respond. Instead, Cale felt the darkness surrounding him becoming even thicker.

Furthermore, his hand was now shaking for a different reason.

Death.

He could clearly feel it.

Cale realized that he needed to quickly get the children averaging nine-years-old to move away from here. The others as well.

That was why he barely managed to open his mouth.

“B-”

He could not speak properly.

“Bring it here!”

He barely managed to say that as he needed to clench his hands that were holding the divine item.

Otherwise, he felt as if he would let go of the divine item because of this aura of death.

‘I've been wondering whether he really was a god but I guess it’s true.’

Cale was feeling and omnipotent something that made him feel as if he could not defeat a god in a battle.

He heard On's voice at that moment.

“Raon! Go to the Forest of Darkness with me! You too, Hong!”

Cale started to smirk. He looked terrible as he was shaking, but he couldn't help but smile.

On had understood properly as he had expected.

She had said that she was taking Raon.

‘Yes, go bring it.’

The thing Cale had told her to bring...

It was their house in the Forest of Darkness.

It was Raon’s possession...

The black castle.

There was an existence that could not leave the black castle.

Former Dragon Lord Sheritt.

Raon’s mom’s attribute was protection.

She was the only one other than Cale to use a shield-shaped power.

He believed that a power for protection would be stronger than using mana barriers or shields to stop this red light.

‘I'm sure he’ll bring the castle back.’

Raon's scale of doing things and On’s decision making along with Sheritt's experience would make it so that they would bring the castle and Sheritt.

‘All that’s left now is......

Embracing this motherfucking son of a bitch of a god!’

Cale took a deep breath, opened his eyes and scanned his surroundings.

Baaaaang! Baaaaang!

The clash between the auras was getting intense.

‘What do I need to do in this situation to efficiently take care of this issue and place myself in an advantageous position?’

He heard a faint voice in his mind at that moment.

The voice that was shouting, as if asking Cale to recognize its presence, sounded as if it was coming from a distance.

However, he had heard it properly.

- Marble is a kind of stone too!

The Scary Giant Cobblestone. He heard the Super Rock's voice.

‘Ah.’

The temple was the sealed god’s territory. Even with one wall destroyed... The sealed god would still have the advantage of this being his place while they were in there.

Furthermore, the God of Death was not in his domain but somewhere else, making it difficult for him to use his aura.

However, similar to how this temple was the sealed god’s territory...

This building made of marble was Cale’s territory.

He could not let the sculpture of the sealed god break.

That was why he did not dare to break or shake the wall with the sculpture that was releasing this aura. He could not dare to do so when they had no idea how things might go.

‘But it is possible to put the temple under the Super Rock’s authority or my authority.’

But would Cale’s ancient power be able to overcome a temple filled with a god’s aura?

- Cale.

He could hear the Super Rock’s voice a bit clearer. It was probably because a clear picture was being drawn in Cale’s mind.

- Earlier, using the power of the Super Rock would have been useless because the god’s dominance over the temple was strong. However, most of the god’s aura that had been in the marble had gathered in front of the sculpture.

‘Ah.’

Cale immediately realized what had happened.

The sealed god was using every aura in the temple to clash against the God of Death.

- Aim for that opening.

Cale was planning on doing as the Super Rock stated.

However, Cale had never used his ancient powers while using Embrace before.

Unfortunately, it was a time for him to do that.

“Are you okay?”

He asked in a shaking voice and the Super Rock responded.

- If it is not attacking or defending and just putting rocks or boulders under you, it won't take much strength.

But I think it would be better if you added something.

The Dominating Aura. Use that with me.

Cale channeled ancient powers inside his body at that moment.

“Cale-nim!”

Clopeh, who was kneeling in a corner of the temple, flinched.

He could feel a presence amidst this battle between two intense auras.

It was the presence that did not even submit in front of Dragon Fear.

The Dominating Aura did not submit even while in between the auras of gods.

This aura worked together with the last person standing against the person who tried to become a god during ancient times.

The power of boulder started spreading from underneath Cale’s feet.

Boom--

A mysterious rumbling spread throughout the temple.

Choi Han and Mary realized that Cale had caused another incident and sharpened their senses to understand the nearby situation.

“Ah.”

Choi Han, who had been standing closest to Cale since On, Hong, and Raon teleported away, realized the change to his body first.

In the middle of these powerful auras of gods...

A faint but familiar aura could slowly start to be felt in the entire temple through the clash of the gods.

It was an aura that made him recall the back of someone who always looked as if he would fall but did not crumble until the end.

It was a stoic yet warm aura filled with a sense of reliability that made it so that they could persist and survive no matter what it took.

“...Cale-nim.”

Cale’s aura was slowly spreading throughout the temple.

It was extremely weak but at least the people in the temple were able to faintly feel it.

That was why it made their hearts and body feel relaxed.

However, there was a frown on Choi Han's face.

“Ugh!”

Although the temple was slowly filling with this stoic yet warm aura, the person casting it was struggling to persist.

Choi Han could not see Cale because he was surrounded in darkness but could not release his grip on his sword.

Drip. Blood dripped from his nails piercing through his palm.

Choi Han could not stand the fact that he was lacking so much.

Drip.

A single strand of blood dripped down from Cale’s mouth as well.

However, he was smiling.

‘It works.’

This was working.

It was very slow but the Super Rock and the Dominating Aura, these two ancient powers were taking over the temple.

The speed was slowly increasing as well.

It was difficult at first but Cale could feel the feint aura quickly taking over the temple like a crack in a dam.

The temple rumbled for a different reason now.

Bang! Baaaaang!

The noise of the gods’ clash lessened as well.

The God of Despair's aura roared as if it was anxious.

‘If it is like this...!’

Cale's eye clouded over.

He was certain that he would be able to Embrace the sealed god in a little bit.

- Cale!

The Super Rock anxiously shouted at that moment.

‘Hmm?’

Cale wondered why the Super Rock was acting like this when things were in his favor.

- You, you-

The Super Rock stuttered.

- ...What the hell did the World Tree give this kid?

‘Hmm?’

- Is it possible to take over the temple like this?

The Super Rock sounded flabbergasted as he commented in almost a sigh.

- You, your presence is even stronger than Dragons now.

‘Hmm?

...Stronger than Dragons?

Then... What is it?’

Cale got the chills for a different reason.

It was at that moment.

Boooom-

His insides rumbled intensely and Cale subconsciously curled forward.

“Ugh!”

- Good job. This is the last time.

Cale heard the God of Death's voice as he watched the darkness surrounding him overwhelming the sculpture.

“Ahhhhhhh------------”

A sorrowful scream burst out of the sculpture.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh----!”

They couldn't see who was screaming but everybody covered their ears.

Craaaaaaack--

The wall with the sculpture started cracking.

Everybody in the temple subconsciously flattened themselves on the floor.

Death.

An aura that felt omnipotent filled the area.

It was such a suffocating aura that they felt as if they would faint if they did not lean on the warmth on the temple floor.

The moment that aura filled the whole area...

“Ugh!”

The chilling scream ended with a groan.

Cale, who could not cover his ears as he was holding the divine item, stumbled because the intense noise made his head ring.

He barely managed to remain standing without falling and quietly gasped.

“Ah.”

He lifted his head up.

He could feel it.

He could feel the sealed god being sucked into the book in his hand.

He could see the sculpture on the wall, the sculpture of the extremely handsome person, being sucked into the black book.

The benevolent and handsome face of the sculpture had changed to look like a screaming devil.

Cale ignored the blood by his mouth and smiled.

The sculpture on the wall was gone.

Instead, the image of the sculpture was visible on a page of the open black book.

Cale moved both hands.

Tap!

He closed the black book.

He could clearly feel that his Embrace into the divine item had worked and that the sealed god was now imprisoned in the God of Death's domain.

“Cale-nim!”

Cale's body stumbled.

Choi Han urgently supported him but Cale was looking at something else.

“Fuck.”

That sticky red light...

It had not disappeared.

To be more specific, it was trying to disappear.

Rumble---

The problem was that the red light that looked as if it would fall to the ground like rain was now boiling.

It resembled a bomb that was about to explode.

He needed to stop this thing.