Ranker Who Lives Twice
chapter-728

It wasn't that Yeon-woo realized Yul's situation from the start. Even now, there was too much faith pouring into his mind. There were even some from great divine beings, so the faith sent from regular mortals was relatively smaller and hard to recognize unless Yeon-woo focused on it. It was why he didn't realize that a part of the faith toward him included Yul's.

Then, after meeting Yul for the first time in a long while, Yeon-woo sensed Yul's will, and he realized the faith that had shined brighter than everyone else's was from Yul. It was faith Yeon-woo obtained right after exuviating and gaining divinity. The faith was small but meaningful. After reading the wish within the faith, he learned of the danger Yul was in. That was why Yeon-woo captured Artichoke as soon as he came out of the portal.

"…Hyung." Yul looked at Yeon-woo with a shaking gaze as if he hadn't expected Yeon-woo's words at all. Yeon-woo was going to save him. Yul would be receiving again the salvation he had received in the Tower.

"Wait." Yeon-woo moved forward after speaking a single word. He didn't use a portal or Blink, but space folded as he arrived in front of Artichoke. He used Shukuchi, one of Allforone/Vivasvat's signature skills he gained after absorbing him. He spoke to Artichoke, "So. You have Freesia?"

"Y-Yes…! Let, Let me go now! If not, F-Freesia will die!" Artichoke struggled inside of the shadow as he screamed. He had heard of Yeon-woo's infamy, but he felt like he couldn't breathe now that he was facing Yeon-woo directly. His strong desire to live somehow managed to overcome the horror.

"You're lying."

"W-What…?"

But Yeon-woo just smiled coldly at Artichoke, whose gaze shook.

"What are you talking about?! I…!"

"This may come as a surprise, but I'm pretty strong. I can burn your accomplishments and see if you're lying or not."

"…!"

"There's someone behind you? Well, that much I could guess."

"S-Save me…!"

"I've heard that so many times it's boring. Do things like you only know how to say the same lines?" Yeon-woo stretched his hand out to grab Artichoke's face and pushed him inside the shadow as if he didn't want to hear the man anymore.

Kiaaaaaak! A sad soul-tearing cry rang out.

『Goodness, you're my son, but listening to you speak, I'd think you're the villain…?』

Regardless of how Kronos was shaking his head from the side, Yeon-woo silently watched Artichoke's soul being torn and summoned his soul power. Ssssss. Shadows crept up Yeon-woo and his body began to change. His eyes were slit like a fox's, and he had a middle-aged man's face. Above it, Artichoke's wooden mask was added, and his clothes changed as well. The dead Artichoke was now here.

Yeon-woo had changed his appearance just as he'd done when he'd saved Leonhardt and the others in the past.

"Hyung, it's you, right…?" Yul asked blankly as he watched with rapt attention.

Yeon-woo turned to Yul and grinned. "Why, you don't think it's me?"

"It's definitely your voice, but…"

"This guy's soul has a ban placed on it. If it's disconnected, they'll know I've caught on, so I changed like this to keep him 'alive.'"

"Oh." Yul nodded with a still-flustered face.

"I thought you'd have become mature since a lot of time has passed, but you're still a cry baby."

Yul brought his finger up to his face at Yeon-woo's playful words and was shocked. Drip. Tears were dripping down his face. He'd unwittingly cried after the anxiety he'd always been feeling was released.

"Huh. I'm not usually like this. Hehe…"

* * *

"You don't know where Freesia is, that's what you're saying?"

"Yes. No matter how many times I secretly sent people… It was impossible to find her." Yul nodded heavily.

Yul looked like a younger brother who was tattling on some bullies to his older brother, so Ananke found herself smiling. She knew this wasn't the time and place to smile because of the serious atmosphere, but Yul was cute. He was different from the Yul she'd seen all this time. Then, Ananke turned back to Kronos with a warm smile.

Kronos felt uncomfortable and narrowed his eyes.『What?』

"It reminds me of you and Lord Oceanus in the past."

『Oceanus and I? I don't have any memories of us having such a good relationship.』

"That's what you think. No one else thought that."

『…Then?』

"You were like a troublemaker who caused mischief for your older brother's attention."

『No!』

"Then why did you seek Lord Oceanus every time you were going to be scolded by Lord Uranus?"

『That's because Father would listen to him…!』Kronos made excuses with a red face, but Ananke just continued to nod tenderly. He grumbled.『You're not listening to me, are you?!』

"Hoho. Of course not. I'm listening."

『Haa.』Kronos sighed, feeling like he was being teased by Ananke. Just as in the past, Ananke was someone he could rely on the most, but she was also someone difficult.

『But…』Then, Kronos carefully spoke up with a stiff face.『There's something I've been meaning to ask since before.』

"You want to ask about Atlas, right?

『Yeah.』Kronos turned to look at Yul and Yeon-woo, who were still in the middle of a conversation and nodded.『Wasn't he with you?』

Atlas was a mixed-blood child of a giant and a god. After Kronos had rescued Atlas when he was captured as a slave, Atlas stayed by Kronos and protected him. While Kronos was taken over by the Demonism and people left him one by one, Atlas was a faithful subordinate who stayed by his side until the end.

However, Ananke shook her head. "I don't know. After I retired from all my positions, I lost contact with him."

『What? I thought he was with you since he wasn't in Tartarus.』

"At the time, Atlas' resistance was so strong, that Zeus and the others had a lot of debate over the severity of his punishment. He was the one who protected your body so they can't touch your body."

『…!』

"But those discussions disappeared after Lord Oceanus said he'd take Atlas in."

『What?』Kronos' eyes widened, wondering why Oceanus' name came up again.

"Atlas gave up resisting after Lord Oceanus persuaded him too."

It was completely unexpected. Kronos continued to watch Ananke with a shocked face.

"I don't know what kind of conversation they had either since I only heard about it afterward… but I'm certain Atlas followed Lord Oceanus."

『What is this guy scheming? Haa…』Kronos rubbed his throbbing temples.

What was Oceanus' mission? He seemed to be everywhere they went, but Kronos was confused about what his intent was.

Moreover, Atlas was extremely unintelligent, so it was hard to persuade him on things. It was like speaking to a wall, so Kronos often gave him commands instead of explaining the reason. If Atlas, who tried to protect his body until the end, followed Oceanus wordlessly, it meant Oceanus must've offered something related to him. But Kronos had no idea what it was.

『I need to find this damned brother of mine quickly.』

While Kronos muttered to himself, Yeon-woo spoke again. "Let's go find them."

『Hm? My older brother? 』

Yeon-woo furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about? Of course it's the next enemy."

Kronos was pulled back to reality and nodded.

* * *

Yul's explanation and Artichoke's information gave Yeon-woo enough to work with.

There are two representative agents of the secret group. Artichoke and Rafflesia. Rafflesia knows how to contact the secret group.

The secret group is using By the Table as its chess piece to get what they want, and they're also searching for something hidden within By the Table.

『Something hidden? What's that?』

"The 'First Generation's Legacy.'"

『The First Generation's Legacy? Hm…? Wasn't Pepe the first generation?』

Pepe was Freesia's real name.

Freesia had once said By the Table was created from the legacies that Rhea left behind. Then it made sense that there were generations before Freesia…

『Could it be…?』Kronos widened his eyes upon realization.

"Yes. I think they're after one of Mother's legacies."

『…!』

"However, Freesia didn't tell anything to Yul about the location of the safes where mother's legacies are or how to open it. Freesia didn't tell them anything about it either, so she's safe."

『Ah…』

"If there's a problem, it's that I can't tell what the relation between Mother's legacy and R'lyeh is."

Kronos nodded in agreement.

"Is there anything you know?"

Kronos shook his head with a wry smile.『I heard the ark was something your mother left behind? But that was something I'd never seen before. Your mom often made things here and there in places I didn't know about. No, to be exact, Quirinale itself was shrouded in secrecy.』

"Hm."

『The only thing that's certain is that we need to go beat them up.』

"Yes. Of course." With that, Yeon-woo extended his hand toward Kronos. Kronos returned to his sword shape and stretched out in the air. Emptiness opened and an old man who was sitting in front of a crystal appeared. It was the man named Rafflesia from Artichoke's memory.

Rafflesia, who had been waiting for a message from Artichoke, turned around at a chilling feeling. It was understandable since people suddenly appeared without any sign from out of nowhere.

Rafflesia knew something was wrong even though Yeon-woo looked like Artichoke. He attempted to move back. But before that, Yeon-woo stretched out his hand to grab his neck and tossed him on the ground.

"If you k…" Rafflesia tried to shout something, but Yeon-woo just ignored it since the line was one he'd already heard from Artichoke.

Ssss. Rafflesia's soul was split and his information entered Yeon-woo's mind. Upon learning where to go to contact the secret group, Yeon-woo moved to action.

Emptiness opened. Someone new appeared, and Yeon-woo moved to the next location after swallowing him. The people behind the curtains would appear if he kept going like this.