Yama Rising

The sea breeze was blowing against Viracocha's face. The night breeze was carrying with it a salty aroma, and his robe was flapping gently behind him.

He was standing on a small sailboat, yet it was traveling just as fast as the most modern ships of the mortal realm. The boat sliced through the water like a sharp knife, and the waves on either side of it rose up to several meters tall, creating a barrier of water on both sides. Occasionally, a giant Yin beast would appear within the waves, but as soon as they came into contact with this sailboat, they would all turn tail and flee.

The divine aura of Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa was not to be disrespected, even if they were on the verge of death.

After standing in silence for close to an hour, Viracocha turned around and instructed, "Speed up a little more."

A skeleton wearing a sailor uniform approached Viracocha before extending a respectful bow. "This is already the top speed the boat is capable of reaching, Your Excellency."

Viracocha closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was also aware that this was the fastest the boat was capable of traveling, but he couldn't help but want it to go a little faster.

The news that he was carrying would for sure be enough to draw the two rulers of the new continent to Nara, and he could barely wait to deliver this news!

"Where are we right now?"

"In mortal realm terms, we should be close to the Hawaiian islands, and in the underworld, this place is known as the Island of Hope, Your Excellency."

Viracocha finally heaved an internal sigh of relief.

He was naturally also aware that the three death gods of the new continent weren't especially fond of him.

There was a fundamental conflict of interest between them, and if it weren't for the fact that he was representing the two rulers of the new continent, the three death gods would've most likely made a move against him long ago. However, he knew that the last thing the three death gods would want to see would be for him to deliver this piece of news back to his masters. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if they were to take some drastic measures to try and stop him.

The three death gods could tolerate following his lead and allowing him to represent the new continent in their stead, but they definitely wouldn't allow the two rulers of the new continent to receive any glimmer of hope!

Hence, he hadn't even informed them of his time of departure, but even so, he still couldn't help but feel extremely uneasy ever since he stepped onto this boat.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something terrifying was about to happen.

However, he could finally rest easy now. He opened his mouth and was just about to say something when the surface of the sea suddenly rippled slightly.

A faint chuckle resembling an indistinct sigh of the night rang out. It was barely audible, yet it sent shivers running down Viracocha's spine, and the relief that had welled up in his heart just a moment ago instantly faded. His Yin energy erupted in full force, and he looked around with a wary expression as he yelled, "Who's there?"

No response.

The surrounding air seemed to have completely congealed, creating an extremely tense and oppressive atmosphere. It was like walking through a dark and narrow alleyway at night alone or standing in front of a mirror in the dead of the night surrounded by lit candles.

The eerie tension in the air made him want to scream out loud, but he had to remain calm.

There's someone here! But who is it? Xolotl? Ah Puch? Supay? Are they finally making a move against me? But what's given them the courage to finally act?

The wind was becoming fiercer and fiercer, and Viracocha crouched down like an apex predator about to pounce on its prey. His robe was flapping vertically upward around him, and he stared intently at his surroundings as he asked, "How long have we been sailing for?"

"Not long, only around three hours." A voice rang out in reply behind him, but in the instant that he heard this voice, Viracocha let loose a horrified scream and turned around as quickly as he could.

The voice didn't belong to any of his servants!

All of his servants on the ship were devout followers of Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa, and they would always speak to him with a respectful honorific plastered to the ends of their sentences.

However, in the instant that he began to turn around, a hand suddenly closed itself around his neck, rendering him unable to turn around.

He felt as if his throat were about to be crushed, and even though he was an initial Duke, he was completely powerless to resist. Countless chaotic thoughts flashed through his mind, but in the end, all of these thoughts culminated into a single question: "Who is it?"

Who was the one that had been sent to hunt him down?

He hadn't earned his cultivation rank as an initial Duke through conventional means, but he was still one of the most powerful beings in the world. The fact that he was so powerless against his assailant meant that they had to be at least an intermediate Duke or even an advanced Duke!

The hand around his neck tightened even further, and his face had become as pale as a sheet. The netherfire in his eyes was flickering frantically as he desperately tried to pry the hand away from his throat, but all that his hands came into contact with were pieces of fabric that were giving off a strong medicinal aroma. In the instant that his hands came into contact with the fabric, countless inky-black beetles crawled out from beneath the material before viciously sinking their fangs into his skin.

His entire body shuddered, and he instantly let go. At the same time, he finally figured out who this was.

This fabric was the material used to wrap mummies. As such, his assailant had to be one of the Aegyptian Underworld’s elders, Death God Osiris!

"Don't struggle." An extremely relaxed, almost playful voice rang out behind him. "If you struggle too much, you'll end up seeing my face, and you'll have to die then. If you're obedient and allow this boat to be parked here for two days before returning to the new continent, I can spare your life. After all, I don't want to have to face those two mad dogs, either."

With a casual flick of Osiris's wrist, Viracocha was tossed onto the boat like a dirty rag before coughing violently as he frantically gulped down breaths of air.

The terrifying might of his adversary had left him completely powerless, and never had he felt such fearsome Yin energy before. In his recollection, only the Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa at the peak of their powers could compare!

Is this the power of a high-grade underworld emissary from one of the four pillars? I'm completely powerless here, but if I don't do anything, how will I be able to report this vital information to Mictlantecutli and Mictetikasiwa? What incentive would the Cathayan Underworld have to fulfill their promise if I fail?

He wanted to turn around and he even had half a mind to retaliate, but in the end, he merely heaved a forlorn sigh and remained standing still on the deck of the boat.

He couldn't afford to act recklessly. Otherwise, he would only be giving his life for nothing.

Osiris seemed to be very pleased with his actions, and he said, "Very good! You're a smart..."

Before he even had a chance to finish his sentence, an earth-shattering boom suddenly rang out.

Rumble!!

Terrifying shockwaves erupted across the entire surface of the sea in the wake of the devastating impact, and tsunamis close to 10 meters tall surged outward in all directions in a frenzy.

Viracocha faltered slightly upon seeing this, then gritted his teeth and finally turned around. The sight that greeted him immediately rooted him to the spot.

Osiris was gone, and the back half of the boat had disappeared along with him!

It was as if an invisible giant beast had torn through the area, leaving countless scraps of broken wood in its wake, and all of the skeletal sailors had been reduced to bones that were littered all over the surface of the sea.

Who had stepped in?

Osiris was an advanced Duke, yet he had vanished just like that!

After a brief stunned stupor, Viracocha immediately rose up into the sky and flew directly toward the new continent as quickly as he could.

………………………………………………….

Perhaps most people in the mortal realm had only heard of Anubis, but in the underworld, Osiris was virtually just as renowned as Anubis.

He was one of the nine deities of the Ennead of Heliopolis, and during his lifetime, he had been a shrewd elder. However, he was killed by his younger brother, Seth, the God of the Desert, out of spite and envy. Thankfully, he was resurrected by Anubis as a mummy, then went on to become the Aegyptian Underworld's Judge of the Dead. In the Aegytpian Underworld, his power and authority were second only to Anubis, and he was superior in rank to all of the Aegyptian Underworld’s elders.

At this moment, Osiris opened his eyes in a disoriented manner. He felt as if heaven and earth had been completely flipped over, and even his mind seemed to be operating at a very sluggish pace.

What just happened?

He didn't even sense anyone approaching him before he was instantly dragged thousands of kilometers away by a burst of almighty force that rendered him completely powerless. By the time he returned to his senses, he had ended up in the place where he was currently situated.

"Are you finally awake?" A calm voice rang out beside him, and he faltered slightly before immediately springing up with an alarmed yelp. He was like a rabbit that had encountered a lion, pressing himself tightly against the wall, and his vision finally became clear.

As a result, he discovered that he was situated in a spacious cave. A ferocious storm was raging outside with flashing lightning, rumbling thunder, and a torrential downpour crashing down from the heavens. A fire had been lit at the entrance of the cave, and a tall figure was standing beside the fire. This was a handsome man who was around 185 centimeters tall, wearing a set of camouflage attire. There was a massive traveler's backpack strapped to his back, and a rabbit was leaning on the wall of the cave beside the fire. Furthermore, there were also all types of condiments laid out such as salt, MSG, and cumin powder. It was as if the man were currently camping in the cave.

This was a living person, and the light of the fire was casting his shadow onto the wall of the cave. Furthermore, this was the mortal realm, as evidenced by the abundant life energy here, and this observation made Osiris's heart sink even further.

The fact that this was the mortal realm meant that he had just been dragged by his almighty adversary straight out of the underworld! Within the span of half a second, he had passed through the underworld and Limbo straight into the mortal realm!

What was even more terrifying to him was that he recognized this man!

He was the unanimously recognized demon of the underworld, but wasn't he supposed to have already handed over the reins to his successor?

"You want some?" the man asked as he gestured to the rabbit.

Osiris was a mummy wearing blue and white striped ancient Aegytpian headwear and a chest ornament constructed from gold and sapphire. His entire body was covered in white strips of fabric with hieroglyphics inscribed all over its surface, and countless black beetles were squirming incessantly beneath the strips of fabric. In contrast with the human, Osiris was a far more terrifying creature in appearance, yet the roles were reversed, and Osiris was the one wearing a horrified expression. However, he then quickly put on a fawning smile and rushed over to the fire to cook the rabbit for the second King Yanluo.

"What an honor it is to meet you here, esteemed former King Yanluo of the Cathayan Underworld. May I be so rude as to ask why you're here? Don't worry about the rabbit, I can cook it for you. I just so happen to be a decent cook, and no thanks, I'll pass on the rabbit, you can enjoy it all for yourself, esteemed King Yanluo."

If Viracocha were to see this, he would definitely struggle to believe that this was the death god who had just rendered him completely powerless.

The second King Yanluo didn't turn down Osiris's kind offer, and he made short work of the rabbit in just a few mouthfuls. He then looked around for something to wipe his hands with, and his gaze settled on Osiris with clearly less than friendly intentions.

Osiris faltered slightly upon seeing this, then immediately offered up his own hand with a fawning smile. The second King Yanluo wiped his greasy hands on Osiris's shroud, and the pristine high-quality shroud was instantly stained a hideous yellow color. However, Osiris could only endure this humiliation in silence.

"This is the Amazon Rainforest." The second King Yanluo lit a cigarette and held it casually between his lips, looking very much like an uncouth gangster. "I'm currently doing a live stream of my experiences exploring the rainforest, it's called 'The Man at the Top of the Food Chain'."

He turned to Osiris with a displeased expression as he continued, "You interrupted my live stream."

Oh, I'm so very sorry for interrupting your all-important live stream with my trivial international affairs!

"You've broken the rules." The second King Yanluo took one final puff from his cigarette, then pressed the smoldering butt firmly into Osiris's hand, and Osiris didn't even dare to pull his hand back.

The second King Yanluo looked straight into Osiris's eyes as he asked, "Do you know why you're still alive?"

Osiris felt as if there were a lump in his throat, completely preventing him from speaking.

Being in the presence of the second King Yanluo was like facing an almighty giant dragon, and even though he was no longer capable of sweating, he still felt as if he had become drenched in cold sweat.

"The reason you're still alive is that I'm a reasonable person. This is the planet that gave me life and nurtured me, and all worlds have their own rules. In order to prevent the destruction of a world, you must constantly stay within the constraints of its rules. Hence, when you targeted the Cathayan Underworld, I didn't do anything. When you attacked the third King Yanluo, I also didn't do anything. Those are challenges that he should stand up to on his own. The path of progression for any successful individual has always been filled with potholes and obstacles, and you either fall at the hurdles or step over them. However, you shouldn't have intercepted the Alkebulan Underworlds and gone after Viracocha. These are unscrupulous measures that have no place on the world stage. If I had refused to play by the rules from the very beginning, you would've all been crushed long ago.

His voice was as cold and unforgiving as a sharp blade as he concluded, "Let me say this once again: you've broken the rules. Do you hear me?"

All of the strength seemed to have been sapped from Osiris's body, and he shuddered before falling to his knees and pressing his forehead against the ground as he replied in a trembling voice, "I understand..."

"Alright, piss off now," the second King Yanluo said with a disdainful wave of his hand. "Tell your masters that if they play by the rules, then I won't intervene even if the Cathayan Underworld is razed to the ground. However, if you dare to go outside the boundaries of the rules, a slow and painful death awaits all of you."