Only God

God of Lies and Deceit, Slaier, like an undying specter, reappeared before Baird.

He laughed heartily at the Hero before him as if he were the sole victor.

"Baird, poor Baird,"

"Just one step away, and you would have returned to the Mortal World and bid farewell to the agonizing Netherworld.

But you ultimately broke the taboo, lost not only your victory but also your dignity."

Baird’s ears were full of Slaier’s mockery, the Divine entity that ruled over lies and deceit trampled recklessly on the Hero before him.

Because of the Divine wager, Baird fell into death and entered the Netherworld where he lived like a walking corpse for thousands of years. Now, having faced all the tribulations of the Netherworld, he was about to embrace the hard-earned reward, yet he was just one step shy of leaving the Netherworld.

Slaier moved from in front of Baird to behind him, his presence like a haunting specter. The chilly wind of the Netherworld approached slowly, like invisible ropes binding Baird’s limbs, dragging the deceased Hero back into the depths of the Netherworld.

"Baird, what are you thinking? Returning to the Mortal World? Are you trying to escape death?"

"No, no one can escape death. In that distant ancient nation of Lipo, there was a King who longed for Eternal Life, he was even the progeny of the Fire God, but what became of him? Nothing but void."

"Even Demigods must face the cruelty of death, even they, after all, come to naught, must understand they are nothing more than human!"