SHADOW BEFORE CREATION

One Against Three

With Cthulhu's words, Arthur's mind went still for a moment before he calmly turned toward Sung. His gaze swept across the faces around him; everyone was staring at him in heavy silence, as though they could feel an indescribable weight, despite having heard nothing.

When Arthur had shouted earlier, his voice had not been directed at this world at all, but solely at the Outer Gods. Only those who had come to fight him had heard the call.

No human could hear his voice. To them, it had merely appeared as though he had opened and closed his mouth without making a sound. That was because Arthur's true voice had been loud enough to draw the attention of the heavens themselves… and bring destruction upon him immediately.

But because he had directed his voice toward the world of the Great Ancients, the world where they were waiting for him to fight, nothing had happened to him.

A tense voice broke the silence:

"Astaroth and Yoo Jin Woo have been kidnapped."

Sung's expression immediately hardened.

"When? By whom? And where?"

Sung set everything he was holding aside and quickly moved toward Kyou.

"Damn… I don't know the details, and there's something I have to do now. Can I count on you, Sung?"

"Leave it to me." The reply came firmly, without hesitation.

Arthur smiled calmly, then raised his head toward the sky and straightened himself.

"Dark Wings."

The darkness around him moved, forming behind his back before condensing and taking shape as two enormous wings made of pure darkness. The wings struck the air violently, sending Arthur's body toward the sky with unbelievable speed and force before he disappeared in an instant.

'Damn… why now? Why at this exact moment?'

The thought echoed through Arthur's mind as he tore through the void.

When he had spoken with Cthulhu earlier in Atlatl Nasha's space, Cthulhu had explained that they were honorable warriors; once a challenge was issued, there was no turning back. Either they would fight and win, or die trying. Afterward, the Ancients and the Outer Gods would leave… and never return.

As for refusing the call, it would lead to the complete destruction of this world.

The Outer Gods and the Great Ancients were transcendent entities whose power surpassed description, but they possessed something else that was no less important than strength… honor.

According to Cthulhu, most of them possessed this honor. They would not involve humans in their battle, which was why the fight took place in their own world.

No human would be killed if Arthur answered the call and fought.

But if he did not… this entire world would vanish and be reduced to nothing beneath their power.

That was why…

Arthur let out a deep sigh as he looked around. He had already arrived in the world where the battle would take place.

He wanted to retreat, even if only for a few hours, to search for Astaroth and Yoo Jin Woo. But he knew for certain that retreating now would practically mean the end of this world.

Therefore, he had no choice but to fight… and win, then return as quickly as possible.

Yet one thought continued to ring through his mind like an unceasing church bell, striking with increasing force and speed.

'What is the flow of time here?'

This was his greatest concern.

In Bokrog's world, he had fought for roughly half an hour, only to return and discover that merely five minutes had passed.

During his battle with Baston, three days had passed in that world, while only five minutes had passed during the fight.

As for Atlatl Nasha, thirty minutes had passed between the battle and his conversation with Cthulhu, and when he returned… he discovered that six entire months had passed.

Now, this thought was raging through his mind mercilessly.

What if one minute here was equal to one year on Earth?

What if it was even more than that?

Arthur's mind reeled violently beneath the weight of that possibility.

{We are the Great Ancients, and we have come for your battle, O slayer of the Ancients and captor of the High Priest.}

At that moment, Arthur raised his head and looked at the world around him. He was in a different universe from those of the other Great Ancients; this world was larger and possessed a higher density of magical power, but it contained the energy of only three creatures.

Arthur looked at the three entities before him.

The first wore massive dark armor and possessed a long, slimy neck stretched forward, with a sharp triangular head devoid of eyes. In place of eyes, two long tentacles extended outward. It resembled a turtle… but in a grotesque and terrifying form.

{I am the Dweller in the Gulf… and I am Eidolon of the Blind. You may call me Dwells, the Dweller.}

Arthur's gaze shifted to the second entity.

It was an elephant… a massive elephant with human hands and blood-red eyes. At the end of its trunk, there was a leech in place of a mouth, with blood quietly dripping from it.

{I am the Horror from the Hills, the Feeder, the Elephant God, and the Vampire Elephant. You may call me Shoggnar Faughn.}

The two at least possessed clearly defined physical forms.

As for the third, it released a strange and completely different aura, one that weighed upon Arthur's very soul.

Its body was difficult to even describe as a body; a mass of flesh and armor, a beard made of tentacles, a single eye, and sharp crab-like arms.

{I am Byatis the Toad, the Bearded Serpent, the God of Forgetfulness. You may call me Byatis.}

Arthur looked at the three of them, feeling the same power that filled this world flowing from their bodies.

'So… they merged their worlds together. I didn't know that was even possible… or perhaps they were born here together.'

His thoughts clashed within his mind, but he quickly calmed himself. This was not the time for prolonged thought.

It was true that he had frightened these three before, but that had only been with his voice, without any direct combat.

But now… there were three of them against him.

And each one of them, in their current forms, was equal to Arthur's power… and even surpassed it slightly.

"I am the Worst King of Death, the King of Demonic Slaughter, the Sky Demon, and the Avenger. You may call me Arthur Narin."

Arthur introduced himself, even though they already knew very well who he was, but it was a matter of a warrior's honor to do so.

He looked at them calmly.

"So, will this be three against one? Or what?"

He smiled faintly and spoke with ease and composure.

At that moment, Byatis spoke in a calm and wise voice:

{One against one. We possess the honor of warriors, and we will never break it. And we apologize for what our filthy traitorous brother, Atlatl Nasha, did.}

Arthur quietly sighed as he listened.

"No need for that, warrior… now."

He smiled and released his aura with tremendous force toward the three of them, causing the world around them to tremble.

{Who will be first?}

---

You can contact me through my official page on the following Accounts:

telegram:

miraclenarrator

tiktok:

miracle_narrator

instagram:

miracle_narrator