Chapter 405 - Total Assault (1)

# Time passed.

[Good news! The crisis response headquarters has officially announced that the number of angels attacking from the sky continues to decrease!]

Recently, such good news had been coming from the news.

[With angelic attacks reduced by more than half compared to the beginning, people are finally hoping that we are winning the war against God...]

Contrary to my concerns, the number of angels descending from the sky was said to be decreasing over time.

In this situation, public expectations had been rising.

From 'Maybe the Sun God's power is weakening now' to 'We might actually be able to defeat God if we do well.'

Though the atmosphere was gradually becoming more hopeful...

"..."

Only I.

Alone, I felt something ominous.

'The number of angels is decreasing, huh.'

Angels.

What are they?

These beings, conveniently called angels, were human-shaped invaders with silver hair and golden eyes, about the size of small adults. They descended from the sky with large wings, wearing white cloth.

...Of course, while they had human form, that didn't mean they were sentient beings. They moved only as commanded by the Sun God, essentially no different from monsters. Their bodies were made only of light.

Suddenly generated in large numbers in the sky, these beings wielding golden spears, tridents, or swords each had the combat power of an A-rank hero.

As such, dozens of these creatures being generated at once and invading cities was truly a disaster.

Especially unlike the Moon Cult which mostly took the form of tentacle monsters, these somewhat resembled humans in appearance, which created quite a challenge in dealing with them.

Fortunately, ability users had also grown stronger, somehow managing to hold back the angels.

Perhaps that's why.

"Oppa."

"Hm?"

"But come to think of it, aren't all these abilities of the ability users given by the Sun God?"

Around the time the angel attacks began, Seo-eun had asked me this.

"Why did the Sun God give supernatural abilities to humans? If he hates humans, why give them powers?"

"I wonder..."

To Seo-eun's suddenly sharp question, all I could give was a vague answer.

...In truth, the reason the Sun God bestowed supernatural abilities upon humans was simple.

'He probably gave them that power to have them eliminate all other humans.'

Now, thanks to me, heroes and villains have united to stop the angels, but if you think about the original story... No. Even before that, considering all the disasters I've experienced, most were caused by villains with strong supernatural abilities.

And always, the world had far more villains than heroes.

Why was that?

'From the beginning, he only gave powers to those with flaws.'

I quietly pondered this fact.

I don't know how much the Sun God can interfere with humans, but he must have been able to bestow his power somehow.

And among them, he must have been able to give it only to humans who had some kind of problem.

As a result, because he only gave powers to those who were already twisted in some way.

A society where villains emerged every day was created.

This precarious, devastated world of [Stardust!].

'Actually, even the heroes...'

When you think about it, they all had their own issues.

Lee Seol-ah, Shadow Walker, and heroes from other countries... they all had their twisted parts somewhere.

But despite that, they chose to protect this world.

...Most people didn't choose despite their flaws, and that's why they became villains.

'Anyway...'

Well, it didn't matter anymore.

The powers that the Sun God gave for humans to fight each other were now being directed at the Sun God's angels.

Perhaps because they received abilities too pure and close to the essence of the Sun God? Although Celeste, for some reason, couldn't interfere with the angels.

Except for her, all ability users around the world could attack angels, just as they could fight among themselves.

And now, the offensive of those angels, one of humanity's only threats, was decreasing over time.

Something that never happened in the original story.

'....Sigh.'

Knowing through the original story that this wasn't supposed to happen, I was very concerned about the suddenly changed situation.

But others were all just mindlessly rejoicing.

And only I continued to feel an inexplicable anxiety.

Ah. Actually, I wasn't the only one.

There was one more person.

'...Yes. You're right. I also... feel something strange these days.'

Stardust.

She too said she'd been feeling anxious lately. A "gut feeling" that something was about to happen.

...However, there wasn't much more we could do. We could only remain vigilant and not let our guard down.

So, contrary to our anxiety.

On a day when angel attacks were gradually decreasing.

"...I went with high expectations. How disappointing."

Under the blue sky, in downtown Seoul.

Seo-eun, Su-bin, and I were walking together.

Though Seo-eun doesn't usually go out much, we all went together including Su-bin to handle something I had arranged.

...Of course, we were returning empty-handed as it wasn't as productive as we'd thought.

"But we didn't come back with nothing, right?"

"...That's true."

It wasn't completely fruitless. We received a new program that could be applied to the entire association.

And it was nice to come out like this to clear our heads. People need to walk. It's not good to be cooped up all day.

So. Under the blue sky in the city center, with warm sunlight embracing us.

With recognition reduction filters in place so others wouldn't notice us, the three of us walked together.

...Then, Su-bin, who had been smiling as she walked, suddenly seemed to remember something and smiled.

"Hehe."

When I tilted my head at her, Su-bin smiled and said to me.

"No. Just walking like this... makes me think of the old days. The three of us walking together."

"Ah. ...That's right."

At Su-bin's words, I nodded with a smile.

Me, Seo-eun, and Su-bin. The early days when just the three of us were together, before Ego-stream was even formed.

...I think we had this conversation before, but so much time has passed since then.

Seo-eun, who used to be so small, has almost caught up to Su-bin's height.

"That's right! When was that... We went to an ice cream festival together back then. Remember?"

"We did..."

As I was lost in reminiscence, Seo-eun giggled and said.

"But come to think of it, oppa's abilities are similar now to what they were then. Unnie and I are ordinary people so we don't know well... but haven't they been saying ability users are all getting stronger these days?"

"Haha. That's true."

I smiled bitterly as I said that.

Though the Sun God was getting closer, there had been no particular change in my abilities.

Despite having the power of stars, which should counter the power of the sun... the power of stars itself was created as a counter to the sun's power, so it should be getting stronger, like Stardust who's almost becoming a god.

I was still in a state where I'd cough up blood after using teleportation or psychokinesis.

And...

Rather, lately my chest had been feeling tighter, making it harder to use my abilities.

I don't know exactly what it is, but...

Throb-

Somehow, I couldn't shake this uneasy feeling.

"Well! It probably doesn't matter anyway. Oppa, you just sit still. We'll take care of everything!"

Beside me, flipping her white hair, Seo-eun said that and grinned.

"And after we defeat the Sun God without anyone getting hurt. We'll all go to a festival together."

"Our Ego-stream, and Yu-seong PMC, and... well, heroes too if they want to come! Everyone together. How about it?"

Looking at Seo-eun chattering away with a smile.

I stroked her head with a bitter smile.

Yeah.

I hope that day comes.

...However.

Throb.

Throb.

Throb.

I soon erased even the smile I had painfully maintained.

With a hardened face, I looked up at the sky.

What is this ominous sensation I'm feeling so strongly right now?

The bad premonition I've had since earlier.

Somehow breaking into a cold sweat, feeling like something big was about to happen.

...I thought it was my imagination, but with my heart beating stronger by the moment.

My face completely froze.

"Da-in? Are you okay?"

"Oppa..?"

It was then that Su-bin and Seo-eun, standing on either side of me, asked me that.

"...Wait. Something, cough. I think something's coming."

Just as I suddenly felt nauseous, coughing and staggering.

CHAAAAAAAAAAANG

The sun in the sky suddenly brightened.

Yellow light enveloped the sky above.

People peacefully walking around the city were startled as the sky began to glow.

"KYAAAAAAAH!"

"W-what's happening!"

As silvery light like scars appeared intensely in several streaks across the sky.

Like snow, those lines opened up.

"""Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!"""

From the sky.

Dozens, no. Hundreds of angels.

Suddenly, they poured down in a scale never seen before.

...Before the Sun God's descent.

It was the beginning of an all-out attack that had never occurred in the original story.