년 만에 귀환한 대마도사

【 】

낙하산
Sedi looked at the strange girl that was reflected by the broken mirror in front of her.

On the outside, she appeared to be no more than 15 years old, and her hair was so
long that it stretched down to the floor.

That wasn’t all.

There was a hint of redness on her normally pale skin, and her characteristic gloomy
aura seemed to have disappeared.

The reason for these changes was obvious.

It was because Sedi had lost her external force and the demonic energy that she had
as an Absolute.

“This is me? Hahaha…”

Sedi burst into hysterical laughter as though she’d lost her mind.

The ear-splitting laughter resounded horrifically in the air for a while.

Lukas understood her feelings to some extent.

After all, she’d demoted from an Absolute to a mortal.

It was worse than if a bird, who flew high in the sky, had been turned into a worm,
who crawled on the ground.

Nevertheless, Sedi was the only person who could truly understand the shock and
loss that she was currently experiencing.

After laughing for a while, she finally spoke in a bitter tone.

“I am now a native of this universe.”

It was true.

After being downgraded to a mortal, Sedi’s soul was automatically bound to this
universe.

It was now impossible for her to travel to other universes as she had in the past, and
after her death, she would either go to this universe’s afterlife and be judged or she
would be reincarnated as an entirely different being.

This process would probably be repeated dozens of times. This meant that the
Absolute, Sedi Glaston, would disappear completely.

No matter how one looked at it, it was a terrible end for a being who had once been
one of the strongest in existence.

Lukas looked at Sedi.

She looked miserable, and it wasn’t just because her physique was smaller.

Nevertheless, Lukas didn’t have any intention of sympathising with her.

In the first place, Sedi and Lukas had nothing to do with each other. They weren’t
enemies, but they weren’t companions either; they just knew each other.

In his opinion, she had simply paid the price for the choices she made.

So what he had to say next was not because he felt pity for her.

“Sedi.”

Sedi looked up at Lukas with dead eyes.

Staring into those eyes, Lukas spoke.

“I have an offer for you.”

***

“Sedi Glaston, what do you want to do now?”

“I want to…”

Even if he asked, she couldn’t give him an answer.

Sedi spoke in a weak voice.

“…fight the Demon King again.”

“…”

“So that I can take back what he stole from me and take everything he has as well.”

“Do you think you can do it?”

“Are you serious?”

Sedi spoke in an angry tone.

“I lost everything. My external force is gone, and my demonic energy has been
robbed. I can’t even summon my soul weapon anymore. What the hell can I do now?”

“Lost everything? Are you sure about that?”

“You… What the hell do you know?”

As she said this, Sedi shot a glare at Lukas.

And she immediately regretted it. The moment she saw the look in Lukas’ eyes, her
pride was wounded even more.

“…you think I’m pitiful.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you’re looking at me like that.”

“I don’t pity you.”

Lukas’ voice became cold.

“It’s just the fact that you’re acting so ridiculous, pitiful, miserable, and weak that it
makes me speechless.”

“What the hell did you just say?”

Just as Sedi was about to explode in anger.

“-have arms.”

When she heard those words, she shuddered subconsciously.

She could clearly hear the anger hidden beneath the quiet voice.

“You still have feet. You have eyes. You have your ears, nose, and mouth. Your entire
body is still intact. It’s not like you were crippled or imprisoned. And yet, you say
that you don’t have anything? That you lost everything? It’s so ridiculous that I can’t
even laugh at you. Do you really think that?”

“Then are you telling me to face an Absolute with this fragile body?”

“Can’t you do it?”

“It’s suicide.”

“Don’t be so hasty. It’s an act that might be infinitely close to it, but it’s not suicide.”

“…you.”

Sedi looked at Lukas with a complicated expression.

It couldn’t be helped.

This… wasn’t just advice. For some reason, she felt like she could see Lukas’ path. His
bitter memories floated in his words like a mirage.

…What the hell kind of life had this man lived?

“You don’t need to give up. Even if it’s thinner than a thread, the fact remains that it is
still possible. Nevertheless, if you are afraid to fight alone, I will help you.”
“…help me? How?”

“I will make you my incarnation.”

“Incarnation…?!”

Sedi uttered this word in a startled voice.

A being who could borrow the external force of an Absolute.

“You… From what I can tell, you have been in this universe for quite some time. But
you haven’t found an incarnation yet?”

“I never found anyone who would be able to completely withstand my external

force.”

Kran, whom he’d met recently, was able to barely meet the threshold, but even he
was still lacking.

However, a vessel like Sedi would be completely different. She would be able to
perfectly digest his external force.

“If you become my incarnation, I will fully support you so that you can become an
Absolute again.”

“…it’ll be a path wrought with extreme difficulties.”

“Right. It would be several times harder than in the past. Think carefully. Becoming
my incarnation means to completely sever your ties with the Black Horned Demon
God.”

Those words made Sedi hesitate for a moment.

The Black Horned Demon God.

The Ruler she’d followed wholeheartedly.

In all honesty, she hadn’t thought about betraying him. Even if the Demon God chose
Kasajin over her, she still wanted to follow him like a fool.
That was what a Ruler was.

From the moment they were born, they were destined to rule over all things. Truly
cosmic beings.

However… Sedi still had her pride. That lofty pride did not easily allow her to
continue following someone that had thrown her away once.

She looked at Lukas.

The man in front of her was the only Absolute who dared to stand opposed to all of
the Rulers.

Madman.

She was now certain that there was no better word to describe this man. Lukas was
probably the only person who continued to have a conflict with the Rulers for so
long.

It was at that moment when a thought appeared in her head.

What if there were five Rulers, not four, and Lukas was one of them…?

“Hahaha.”

Sedi let out a loud laugh.

She realised that at some point, she’d become attracted to this being named Lukas.

“Fine. Lukas Trowman, I’ll be your incarnation. However… there’s one condition I’d
like you to agree to first.”

“What is it?”

“…”

Sedi’s expression became serious.

As a result, Lukas’ expression also became serious.

Once she became an Absolute, she would become the subordinate of Lukas, who
wasn’t even a Ruler. Whether she was just an incarnation or something else, no
matter how nicely it was wrapped, that was the truth. This would be an extremely
difficult decision for a being as prideful as Sedi was, so it was understandable that
she would have reservations.

However, the words that came out of Sedi’s mouth next took him by surprise.

“Father.”

“…What?”

“I want to call you Father.”

For the first time, Lukas’ expressionless facade cracked.

Not caring about that, Sedi continued.

“I want to be your daughter.”

In all honesty, in terms of how shocking it was, what Sedi had just said was greater
than anything they said before.

“…what do you…”

Lukas stuttered helplessly.

Sedi, on the other hand, remained expressionless to the point of innocence. When he
saw that, Lukas realised that she hadn’t said it out of malice or mischief.

That’s why it felt even weirder.

If she wasn’t playing a joke on him, did this mean that she was serious?

“If I become your incarnation, then, in a way, I will become your blood relative.
Which means I’d become your daughter.”

“No. That’s not…”

Lukas paused.
This was because he had some idea of the reason behind her startling request.

Some Absolutes tended to call their Rulers Father or Mother.

Of course, Sedi was no longer an Absolute, and Lukas was not yet capable of
accepting another Absolute.

When she saw Lukas’ troubled expression, Sedi’s expression changed as well.

To his surprise, she muttered in a soft tone.

“…you don’t have to if you don’t like it.”

“…”

Seeing her slightly pale face, Lukas understood Sedi’s feelings to an extent.

She had only just been abandoned by the Black Horned Demon God.

And just by following a Ruler, an Absolute was able to feel fullness and a sense of
belonging.

As strangers in every universe they entered, it was the sweetest fruit for the
Absolutes who spent their lives in solitude. Sedi must have also enjoyed this
sweetness while following the Demon God.

But now, Sedi had been deprived of her external force and demonic energy and had
become a mere mortal. So naturally, she could no longer feel the fullness and sense
of belonging from a Ruler.

In this state, she could only be able to embrace her loneliness like she was alone in
this universe.

She might have looked fine, but mentally, she was in a very precarious situation.

Perhaps the thing she needed the most now was a home to rely on and a barrier to
protect her.

‘That’s why she accepted my offer so easily.’

It seemed to show the role she expected him to fill.

After a moment of silence, Lukas nodded slowly.

“…no. I don’t mind it.”

“Huh? Then you’ll allow me to?”

“If that’s what you really want.”

Sedi’s eyes lit up.

Perhaps it was because of the loss of her external force and demonic energy and had
lost her gloomy aura. Or perhaps it was because she was no longer an Absolute.

But Lukas was getting a completely different impression from Sedi.

“So I can call you father?”

“…”

Lukas couldn’t muster the courage to open his mouth, so he simply nodded.

Sedi’s face became noticeably brighter at the confirmation.

“Great. Then, please take care of me. Father!”

Lukas didn’t have any children, but he felt that this wasn’t the way one would usually
talk to their father.

With that thought, he looked down at Sedi, who tilted her head at him.

“Why do you look like you just ate a bug?”

“…I’m just not used to hearing that term.”

“Liar… Father should have lived for at least tens of thousands of years by now. I’m
sure you met a lot of women in that time and mercilessly sowed your seed.”

“No. I never did.”

“You should still have a few chi-”

“I don’t.”

When Lukas said these words firmly, Sedi stopped talking and looked at him with an
incredulous expression.

“Really?”

“Why would I lie about something like that?”

“…But, even if Father doesn’t want children, that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t have
any, right? Things can happen even if you don’t intend for them to, so you might have
at least one child.”

“It’s not possible. Because I never did that.”

“…”

The silence that fell this time could not be compared to before.

After staying silent for a long time, Sedi finally spoke slowly.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologise.”

“No. I-, I’m really sorry. I didn’t know.”

“…”

Lukas wasn’t sure how to feel at that moment.

(TL: The last part of this chapter was so funny. I honestly think that this might be one
of, if not my favorite chapter so far. Sedi’s reaction to Lukas’ celibacy is just so
relatable and funny. Kudos to the author for this one.)
“‘Lucian’ is a former mercenary. So I can speak confidently about his skills. Few
hunters in North America are more versatile than him. Lucian’s extensive experience
and composure would be a great help in the event of an emergency.”

“…”

“‘Lena’ is a Spirit Lord. She can control spirits of ice and fire. The spirit that she is
especially… Min Ha-rin, are you listening to me?”

“Huh? Yeah. Sorry.”

Min Ha-rin, who came to her senses, bowed apologetically.

“You don’t have to overdo it. Comparing the personal information of dozens of
people at once can be exhausting. Especially if you have no experience doing it. If
you’re having a hard time, I can shorten the list for you.”

“No. It’s fine.”

Vincent was not a man with much free time. In fact, he was probably the busiest
person currently in the North America Headquarters. There were still a lot of things
that needed to be done, so he couldn’t spend too much time with her.

Realising this, Min Ha-rin looked at the list and asked.

“How much time do I have?”

“Considering the fact that we’ll have to contact the hunters and explain the situation
to them… I think the earliest you could leave is by dawn tomorrow.”

It was currently past 11pm. Considering the time it would take them to prepare, it
was much sooner than she thought.

Min Ha-rin nodded.

“I’ll tell you in an hour. You can go back to your work.”

“…are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Thank you for your help. Excuse me.”

After saying that, Vincent left in a hurry. As she expected, although he didn’t show it,
there were still many things that he had to do.

Min Ha-rin sipped on her cold coffee as she was left alone in the room. Even though
her eyes were currently focused on the list, her thoughts were elsewhere.

‘…I’m probably the only person who knows who Frey really is.’

She recalled her conversation with Joanna.

For all the anticipation that her words had built up, what she said next had honestly
been a bit disappointing.

Lukas, or ‘Frey Blake’, as she called him, seemed to be an extremely talented Wizard.
Maybe even stronger than the President of the Wizard Association. The strongest
Wizard she’d ever met…

But that was natural.

After all, Min Ha-rin’s Master could be called magical science in itself. There was no
one in this world who knew more about magic than Lukas did.

Joanna had then gone on to say that she believed Lukas might have been chosen by
the Great Mage.

When she heard that, Min Ha-rin had to do her best to not let out a laugh.

The Great Mage. A legendary being who was also called the God of Magic. Min Ha-rin
knew that this being was, in fact, her Master.

Not a ‘chosen’, instead, her Master was the main character of the legend.
Nevertheless, it was Joanna’s next words that threw her for a loop.

‘Like me’.

‘…like you?’

When she’d asked this, Joanna’s expression had become filled with pride.

‘Yeah. I was also chosen by the Great Mage.’

She then went on to briefly explain to Min Ha-rin what had transpired in Africa.
About the fact that she’d heard a voice while surrounded by Demon Beasts.

The voice of the Great Mage.

It was only after hearing those words when Min Ha-rin realised what happened.
Lukas had helped Joanna.

Thanks to his voice, Joanna was able to develop her skills and progress further from
the 7 star rank.

And it was only then that Min Ha-rin understood her change of attitude.

It was what Lukas had taught her. Not just magic but also character.

‘Why me?’

This question had never left her mind.

The world was large, and there were many talented people. Of course, this didn’t
mean that she didn’t think she was talented. It was just that she was certain some
people were far more talented than her.

Just look at Joanna, for instance.

Click-

Suddenly, the door to the room opened and Lukas walked in. Seeing him, Min Ha-rin
suppressed a sigh and stood.
“Master, are you finished with your business?”

For some reason, she couldn’t help but feel that Lukas appeared tired.

“Right… What are those documents?”

“It’s the personal information of the hunters Vincent selected. I’m looking for
someone who can go to Korea with us.”

“You don’t need to look anymore.”

“Huh?”

“I found someone who can help us.”

It was only then when Min Ha-rin noticed the slim figure who stood behind Lukas
like a shadow. It was a young girl, who looked at her with a slightly sour expression.

The young girl was quite pretty, with black hair that seemed darker than ink, and
bright red eyes, which contrasted nicely with it.

“Who is this child?”

“Child? Ha.”

The girl snorted.

Lukas glanced down at her and muttered.

“This girl is my…”

He paused, wondering how to explain it.

As Lukas hesitated, thinking about how to properly structure his sentence, the girl,
Sedi, spoke.

***

“Daughter.”
“…?”

“Isn’t that right, Father?”

“…!”

Lukas let out a sigh as Min Ha-rin’s eyes grew wide with astonishment.

He’d told her to not make a fuss when they got here. How was this not making a fuss?

It felt like she had misunderstood his intentions.

“M-, Master. Is that true?”

Min Ha-rin stuttered like a broken record, and after thinking for a while, Lukas
nodded.

Gulping slightly, Min Ha-rin opened her mouth,

“I-, it might be rude to ask, but…”

“What is it?”

“Then, who is your wife…?”

At that moment, Min Ha-rin thought about Joanna for some reason.

Two hunters who went alone to a dangerous foreign country and encountered
various hardships and difficulties before finally making a mistake one night due to
their frustration…

Of course, considering Sedi’s age, the probability of there being any connection was
zero, but Min Ha-rin didn’t seem to realise that.

“…my adopted daughter.”

“Ah.”

When she heard Lukas’ answer, she nodded in understanding.

In truth, she couldn’t imagine what kind of woman her Master would like. (TL: The
kind that betrays the world for him)

“S-, still, why did you suddenly adopt a daughter?”

“Because you guys are too weak.”

It was Sedi, not Lukas, who answered with a smug grin.

Her venomous remark made Min Ha-rin’s expression harden. She was putting up
with it because it was her Master’s daughter, but she realised that this girl in front of
her was very rude. Nevertheless, she simply glared at her without saying anything.

“Hmph.”

Even after receiving Min Ha-rin’s glare, Sedi simply snorted.

Then, she walked up to the table and snatched the documents that Min Ha-rin had
been perusing.

“What are you do-”

“Let’s see here… Hmm. None of these guys are useful. I think they would only be a
burden if we took them with us.”

Sedi flipped through the documents in an instant before giving her review. Then, her
bright red eyes turned towards Min Ha-rin.

“Including you.”

For some reason, Min Ha-rin felt like those words pierced into her heart like a
dagger.

She flinched like someone who had been backed into a corner before speaking in a
heavy tone.

“What did you say?”

“Father, why are you teaching someone like this?”

Sedi turned to look at Lukas with clear confusion on her face. She still had the insight
of an Absolute, so she was naturally able to see through Min Ha-rin with a single
glance.

From what she could tell, Min Ha-rin’s talent was only above average. Of course, if
she was taught in earnest, she would certainly become strong enough to stand above
most mortals. She didn’t seem enough to be taught by someone like Lukas.

“…l-, listen here. Even if you’re Master’s daughter, you still have to be polite.”

Min Ha-rin could no longer endure it when she heard those harsh words coming
from the mouth of a girl who seemed to be the same age as her little sister. Sedi, on
the other hand, simply smiled coldly.

“Do you really want to talk to me about politeness? Brat?”

“I think you should look in the mirror. Then you’ll see who the brat really is. You’re
the size of a water flea.”

“A water flea? Ha.”

Sedi snorted before pointing at the papers.

“I was just telling the truth. None of those guys would be useful. They’re all weak.
Even if they all worked together, they wouldn’t be able to touch my fingertips.”

“I can’t listen to you say that.”

It was at that moment when a displeased voice came from the side.

It belonged to a woman who was standing in front of the open door.

It was Joanna.

She entered the room before casting a disapproving glare at Sedi.

“The people in those documents are all top-class hunters in North America.”

“Top class? Those guys? I guess your country is only on that level.”
“…who are you to be so rude?”

“That’s my father.”

Joanna’s expression hardened when Sedi pointed at Lukas.

“…huh?”

“Are you deaf? I’m his daughter.”

“F-, Frey. You… I… I can’t believe you had a daughter this big… h-, how old were you
when you got her?” (TL: fun fact, she basically called sedi ‘an accident’ but it was
hard to structure properly in english)

“…she’s my adopted daughter.”

Lukas couldn’t help but wonder for a moment why he had to say this every time he
was asked that question as if it was an excuse.

Sedi, on the other hand, glanced at Joanna with a curious gaze.

“You’re pretty good. You barely meet the requirements. But the rest won’t do. They
would only hold us back if they went with us.”

“…even if you’re Frey’s daughter, I can’t stand here and let you say that. Can you take
responsibility for your words?”

“Of course.”

“Fine.”

Joanna glanced down at her watch before continuing.

“I’ll get those hunters to come here. Please prove your words in front of our eyes.”

(TL: I gotta say, I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable with the way Lukas just sits
back and lets them talk to each other like that. I think he should have reprimanded
Sedi for the way she was talking to his ‘first’ disciple. But I suppose it’s a way for the
author to show us Sedi’s new powers since she would probably have Lukas’s divine
magic power instead of the demonic energy she had before.)
After a while, Joanna brought a group of hunters.

There were 11 people in the group, all of whom were included in the documents.

They were all filled with enthusiasm to take part in this mission. In fact, if the
number of persons was limited, they all would have participated.

After all, it was a mission with Neil Prand’s life at stake. Most of them had the
thought that they wanted to help even if they could only do a little.

“What’s going on? Who’s this kid?”

“Is this our opponent?”

“Don’t let your guards down.”

Joanna, who stood at the front of the group, reminded them.

She couldn’t feel any traces from Sedi. However, she was well aware of Lukas’ power.

‘It wouldn’t be strange if Frey’s adopted daughter has special powers as well.’

Therefore, even though she’d gathered 11 hunters this time, she’d told them to
remain vigilant and do their best.

“Hmm. Then I’ll go first.”

When Lucian, the former mercenary, stepped forward, most of the others made sour
expressions. Most of them knew how skilled he was, so they felt that if he went first,
they wouldn’t have a chance after. They were certain.

But Sedi frowned when she saw Lucian step forward alone.

“What are you doing?”

“Is something wrong? Kid.”

“Why are you coming forward on your own? It’s best if you all came at the same
time.”

Lucian had a daughter who was around the same age as Sedi. Therefore, he could see
that her rudeness went beyond simply acting cute.

Nevertheless, using such a tone before a battle could only be described as trampling
on their pride as hunters.

“It seems I’ll have to knock you down a peg fir-… Kuk!”

Lucian didn’t get to finish his sentence.

Before he could, Sedi had appeared in front of him and hit his jaw with her palm.
Lucian felt a terrible pain and belatedly realised that several of his teeth had been
crushed.

With blood dripping from his mouth, he was unable to bear the pain and fell
backward with his eyes rolling up into his head.

“…”

While silence filled the room, Sedi swung her right arm with a discontented
expression on her face.

She still hadn’t fully adapted to having a mortal body. Luckily, she would be able to
use this chance to properly get used to her new body.

“What are you waiting for? Come on.”

“…”

The hunters’ expression finally grew serious.

***

“…”
Joanna stared at the training ground, speechless.

After Lucian’s defeat, the hunters had all raised their guards.

None of them had even seen exactly what Sedi had done, they only knew that she’d
defeated him with a single blow.

Nevertheless, two other hunters still stepped out for a one-on-one fight. It was only
after three consecutive defeats that the hunters decided to work together.

8 elite hunters.

The results of this battle to regain their pride were disastrous.

It couldn’t even be called a proper fight.

“Mm.”

Sedi was standing alone in the center of the training ground, and the prone figures of
the hunters could be seen around her.

It was a complete victory. And yet, Sedi didn’t appear pleased. Instead, she frowned
in clear displeasure.

The reason for this was the small cut on her palm. Even if she hadn’t fully adapted to
her new body, she never thought that she’d be injured by a human.

Then, a voice sounded.

“This should prove her power.”

It was Lukas.

It was a bit harsh, but he had no choice.

After all, this was the best way to prove Sedi’s power.

As Vincent said, they didn’t have any time to waste.

“Who the hell is this girl…”

Joanna stared at Sedi in disbelief. A girl who looked no older than 15 had single-
handedly defeated a group of North America’s best hunters? Without even showing
her true strength?

“…”

But Joanna didn’t try to pry any further.

There was only one thing that was important now. Sedi had proved that her words
weren’t simple arrogance.

The futility of the group’s attacks against her made that clear.

This girl was the strongest among all of the individuals they could mobilise at the
moment.

“…I’ll tell Vincent. All of the people going on the mission have been selected. But is it
going to be just the three of you?”

When Joanna asked this question, Lukas spoke.

“Joanna, can you really not come with us?”

“Ah. Yeah. I’m busy too. Unfortunately.”

Joanna felt a little pleasure at the fact that Lukas wanted her to go with him.

Unfortunately, she was probably the one person who had a busier schedule than
Vincent.

“The Rose Duke’s attack on Canada has terrified the civilians all over America. So I
will be traveling all across the region. I plan to help ease their anxiety as much as I
can.”

Joanna was one of the most well known and well liked hunters for the people living
in North America.

So she would be touring the entire region to cheer up the anxious citizens. There was
probably no one more suited for this role than Joanna.
Lukas felt that it was unfortunate.

In his opinion, Joanna was a talented individual. Although he didn’t intend to accept
her as a disciple, he honestly felt that it would be good if he could recruit her into
<Argento Spell>.

He had been thinking of raising the idea to her if she joined them on this mission.

‘It can’t be helped.’

Joanna’s mission was important as well. It would be rude of him to insist.

“I’ll call the medical team first. Did you say her name was Sedi? I’ll inform Vincent
about this girl. Ah, and since the portal should be ready soon… Miss Ha-rin.”

“Yeah?”

Min Ha-rin had not yet escaped the shock that Sedi’s power had induced, but she
raised her head as her name was called.

“Shouldn’t you send a message to Korea soon?”

“Oh.”

“I’ll take you to the communication equipment, so follow me.”

“All right.”

Min Ha-rin dejectedly followed Joanna out of the training room as medical staff
rushed in and took all the hunters away.

Sedi walked over to Lukas, who looked down at her.

“Wasn’t that a bit too heavy-handed?”

“I didn’t kill them… Rather than that, Father.”

“What is it?”

Lukas’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he answered, still not used to the form of
address.

Sedi tilted her head to the side.

“What does Father intend to do from now on?”

“I plan to save Neil Prand, the President of the Hunter Association. We’re going to
meet the Saint who might be able to heal him.”

“Not that.”

Sedi shook her head. Her soft hair flowing like a curtain in the wind.

“What are you going to do next? Now that you don’t have a pact with me, you don’t
need to spare Demons anymore.”

“That’s true. And thanks to you, the power limit has also increased,”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Chch.

Lukas lifted his hand, and divine power began swirling in his palm.

“By being demoted to a mortal and becoming part of this universe, the level of the
entire universe has risen a little.”

“Ah.”

Sedi nodded after realising what he meant.

She also knew that the level of this universe was terribly low. If it had been allowed
to progress normally, it would probably take hundreds of millions of years before
someone could reach the level of Absolute.

With the appearance of the Demons and Lukas’ support, the level had been raised,
but it was still below average.

And then, a being like Sedi had become part of the universe.
Although she had been demoted to a mortal, she had once been an Absolute.

As a result of a being who would be unparalleled among mortals becoming part of

the universe, the level of the universe increased. This meant that the amount of
power it could tolerate also increased.

With the power he could use now, Lukas could probably wipe out all of the Demons
without putting any strain on the universe. And with Sedi’s help, it would be much
easier.

And yet, he was still not making his move…

“Is it because of Nodiesop and the Demon King?”

“Right. I can’t move recklessly until I drive them out completely.”

“True. And there’s still no telling what Letip is really thinking.”

“…”

“Then what will you do?”

“Do you remember the hints we got from God?”

“About the way to deceive the laws of the universe?”

“Right.”

Lukas nodded.

“One of the Top Three, a man named Kran. I think he might be a clue.”

“What kind of clue?”

“I’m not entirely sure about the details yet. I didn’t notice anything even when I met
him in person. For the time being, I intend to wait and see.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to keep an eye on him? Where’s that Kran guy right
now?”
“Well…”

Sedi frowned at Lukas’ soft murmur.

“Isn’t that too risky? What if the Demon King or Nodiesop get their hands on him
first?”

“Kran is no pushover. They’d have to use more power than they thought to capture
him. That way, regardless of where it is, I’d know the location immediately.”

“…even when taking that into account, I feel like you are relying on something else.”

Sedi narrowed her eyes as she observed Lukas.

“Father, you’re planning something, aren’t you? I don’t know what it is, but it is
definitely something that will turn the tables, right?”

“Right.”

Lukas calmly admitted it.

Sedi was immature in many ways, but she still had the sharp intellect that came with
being an Absolute.

“What is it?”

“It’s not the right time to reveal it yet. It is literally the last resort… It’s a gamble. And
I don’t want to use it if I don’t have to.”

“…Hmm.”

So the best option would be to learn how to trick the laws of the universe.

Of course, if that method failed… then it couldn’t be helped.

He would have no choice but to gamble.

***

Kran opened his eyes.

Babump-

At the same time, he felt a strong pulse from his heart. He could feel a stronger
power swirling inside of him. This newly acquired power rushed wildly through his
blood vessels, as though it was desperate to show off its strength.

Kran got up from his seat, put on his clothes, and glanced at the crystal ball.

“I think this was a lot stronger than the soul crystals I used before.”

[That’s good news. That means it’s getting more efficient.]

“Doesn’t that mean I’m becoming more of a monster?”

[…]

Ringo paused for a moment before speaking in a cautious tone.

[…should we stop now? I will always respect your wishes, Kran.]

Kran put on his cloak and chuckled.

“It’s too late to turn back now. I’ll see this through to the end.”

[…]

“Tell me about the next target. Where is it?”

[Aren’t you going to take a break?]

“I don’t need it. My body has already recovered.”

There was a brief silence before the voice came from the crystal ball again.

[The Korean Peninsula. That’s where the next target is.]

“…the Korean Peninsula.”

Kran slowly closed his eyes.

“Help me prepare, Ringo. I want to leave right away.”
The Communications room.

Min Ha-rin operated the communications equipment while sitting across from
Joanna.

It was nothing special. All she had to do was enter the password for the confidential
communications line that she knew and wait for a response.

“When was the last time you were in Korea?”

“About three years ago? I think it’s been about that long.”

“That’s longer than I thought.”

“Yeah. The damage to Korea wasn’t that great. As my performance improved, I was
dispatched to China more often. Later, I moved to stay there.”

“Hmmm.”

Joanna nodded slowly before asking in a slightly cautious tone.

“What about your family?”

“I have two younger siblings in Korea.”

“I guess they’re not hunters.”

“Yeah.”

Joanna smiled softly.

“That’s good. Having a family, I mean.”

“…what about you, Miss Joanna?”

“You can just call me Joanna.”

Perhaps it was because she was American, but Joanna was much more open than she
expected.

While having that thought, Min Ha-rin repeated herself.

“What about your family…”

“I don’t have one. I’m an orphan.”

“Ah.”

That was a bit surprising.

From her attitude, Min Ha-rin had thought that she was born and raised in a wealthy,
or at least a well-off family, but that wasn’t the case. In other words, she felt and
behaved like a scioness of some major ‘family’ or ‘force’.

Joanna seemed familiar with this reaction.

“That’s why I call the Association President my father. Because he brought me up as a

child and showed me my path.”

A tender light shined in Joanna’s eyes as she said that.

Min Ha-rin could understand her feelings to an extent. Perhaps the same respect and
admiration that she now had for Lukas, Joanna had for Neil Prand.

Joanna’s expression became earnest as she met Min Ha-rin’s gaze.

“So… please. Please save the Association President.”

“…yes.”

Just as Min Ha-rin’s determination was renewed, she finally got a response from the
screen in front of her.

“I think the line has been connected.”

“Yeah. Wait a moment.”

Pit-

Suddenly, the screen lit up.

“…”

Min Ha-rin blinked.

The person on the screen was obviously someone she knew, but it took her a
moment to realise that.

No. She still wasn’t sure even though she was looking at them with her own eyes. She
licked her lips a few times before hesitantly opening her mouth.

“…Uncle Min-chul?”

[As expected, it’s Ha-rin.]

The man behind the screen smiled brightly. Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel a hint of
disbelief as she saw this.

“Why is it you, uncle…? What about big brother Sung-hyun?”

[He’s dead.]

“Huh?”

Min Ha-rin’s eyes widened.

[A lot has happened. There is so much that I want to talk to you about. Since you
contacted this communication line, it should mean that you’re coming back to Korea,
right? When will you return?]

Those words made Min Ha-rin speechless for a few moments.

She did intend to go back to Korea, and she was confident that they would let her in,
but she thought it would take some time to persuade them.
But Kim Min-chul’s attitude made her hesitate.

It felt like he wanted her to return to Korea as soon as possible.

***

He took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

The doctor’s words floated in his mind in a loop. There was nothing wrong with his
body.

In truth, he knew it better than anyone.

“Hup.”

He took another deep breath and prepared his mind. Then, he closed his eyes and
relaxed his body as much as he could.

It wasn’t hard for him to remember ‘that time’.

In only a few moments, the image of a woman appeared in his mind. A woman with
hair as red as blood.

A being who was so fearsome that her harmless appearance made her all the more
frightening.

Duke Rose.

Rattle.

Just imagining her face caused his entire body to quiver violently. If he hadn’t been
lying on his bed, his feet would have given out and he would have collapsed.

He’d no longer feared the Demons as he had in the past.

He was certain that he had overcome that to an extent.

If the first Demon he encountered hadn’t been one of the Five Dukes…

He shook his head.

All of those thoughts were just excuses.

In the end, all of this came down to the fact that he was too weak.

He wanted to overcome it. He wanted to move on. He wanted to say goodbye to his
weak, pathetic self and fight the Demons confidently. This was the future that he’d
shed tears of blood to achieve.

He’d thought that he would reach it if he pushed a little further, but now, that goal
that he thought was in his grasp was even further than before.

No. He was the one who had run away from it.

In the end, he was not a man who was able to overcome his trauma. He was still a
weak, young, English boy, who could not get over his fear of Demons.

“Dammit…!”

Crack!

Unable to contain his anger towards himself, Leo Freeman smashed his fist into the
table beside his bed. This was the first time he’d ever acted in such an emotional
manner. And yet, the sense of shame didn’t disappear. On the contrary, his negative
emotions grew stranger as he felt that his patheticness was even clearer now.

“Dammit… dammit…”

Blood gushed from his lip as he bit down on it.

“Stop hurting yourself.”

“…!”

Leo turned his head quickly. Without him realising, Lukas had entered his room and
was standing beside his bed.

“Master…”

Without a word, Lukas walked over to him and handed him a tissue. Leo accepted it
and pressed it to his lips. The white tissue became stained red.
Lukas looked down at Leo for a moment before taking a seat in the chair beside the
bed.

For some reason, the ticking sound of the clock’s second hand became exceptionally
clear at that moment.

“I’m sorry.”

Even after he said that, Lukas didn’t say anything.

“I know this is an opportunity that I’ll probably never receive again, and I really
wanted to do well this time… But it didn’t work out…”

“…”

Leo’s voice was strained and hoarse. He felt that if he continued talking, he would
begin to cry. He knew that he already looked pathetic, but he didn’t want to
embarrass himself any more than he already had.

Nevertheless, since he’d started, he would have to finish.

Because the subdued silence was urging him to continue.

“I saw a video of what happened in the training ground.”

A group of some of the best hunters in North America had faced a girl no older than
he was. And yet, this girl, whose hair flowed down to her feet, had defeated them
with ease.

It was such a beautiful fight that he didn’t even feel jealous. It was clear to Leo that
he would have to work hard his entire life. But he wasn’t sure he could reach that
level with just his talent and hard work.

There was only one thing that Leo was certain of. He wouldn’t be able to reach even
half of that level even after ten years had passed.

It took a lot of determination for him to open his mouth again.

“I-”
“Why are you apologising?”

Lukas interrupted him.

“I feel like I disappointed Master.”

“Did I ever tell you that or show such an attitude?”

“No. But…”

“Then why are you making your own assumptions and judgements?”

The words were filled with blame, but the tone they were said in was soft.

Leo fell silent for a moment, speechless.

“That…”

“You’re doing great.”

“…huh?”

“You’re doing great. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“…”

Lukas’ eyes were shining so brightly that it hurt to look at them. The brilliance in his
eyes was so dazzling that it felt like he wanted to drive away the dark clouds in his
mind.

“It’s as I said. You are always trying to face your fears head-on. That is not an easy
task.”

“Anyone can just think about it…!”

Leo’s voice grew louder at the end. His face became contorted.

“I’ll try harder next time. Tomorrow will be different from today. Those easy
thoughts are things that everyone repeats to themselves in bed before they sleep…
Right. It just keeps repeating. I feel like my resolution has faded and I’ve become self-
indulgent.”

What really mattered was to not lose the drive.

But Leo felt like he couldn’t do that.

“Everyone has their time.”

“Time…?”

“Right. People usually call it fate, but I personally call it the ‘time of blooming’.”

“…the time of… blooming…”

“It’s just a difference of timing. Just because a flower blooms later doesn’t mean it’s
any less beautiful. And I…”

Lukas smiled.

When Leo saw this smile, he felt his heart swell and his throat close.

He could feel it just from looking at this smile.

Just how much this person in front of him believed in him. And just how high his
expectations for him were.

“I believe that you will bloom into a flower that is more brilliant than any other
flower.”

Gulp.

Leo was unable to stop his hot tears from pouring out. There had never been
someone who had so much faith in him in his entire life.

He was someone who couldn’t even lift a finger in front of a Demon. How ridiculous
was this for someone who wanted to become a hunter? Someone who would risk
their life on every mission.

“…why do you have so much faith in me?”

“Because I am your master.”

Lukas’ smile widened.

“Do you trust me?”

“…yeah.”

“Then trust in my eyes too. The Leo Freeman I have seen and judged is by no means a
man who would bow down to this level of frustration.”

“…Master.”

“I look forward to the flower you will bloom into.”

***

When Lukas stepped out of the hospital room, he encountered a black-haired girl
with a sour expression.

Sedi Glaston.

…No. It should be Sedi Trowman now. She had become strangely attached to Lukas
since becoming a mortal.

Sedi pointed at the hospital room, her expression still sullen.

“Is he your disciple as well, Father?”

“Right.”

“He’s really weak.”

Lukas looked down at Sedi for a moment.

“What?”

“Sedi, what do you think a father should be?”

“Someone bigger and stronger enough than me?”

“…then you call me Father because I am stronger than you?”

“Right. There are only four people in this universe right now that are stronger than
me.”

She was referring to the four Absolutes.

Nodiesop, Letip, Lukas. And Kasajin.

Naturally, Lukas was the only one among them who was kind to Sedi.

There was no need to mention Nodiesop, who she seemed to have a bad relationship
with, and Kasajin, who made her the way she was. Letip, who appeared to be neutral,
was a wild card, and no one knew what he was thinking.

“I’ve never had a daughter.”

“I know. You never did it.”

“…right. That’s not really the point right now, but anyway, I know that you and I don’t
have a normal father-daughter relationship.”

“A normal father-daughter relationship?”

Sedi tilted her head to the side.

It had probably not been intentional, but her action was filled with innocence that
matched her apparent age.

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.”

“…what are you talking about? Are you trying to crack a joke?”

“No. As I said, I’ve never had a daughter.”

He knew about the bonds between friends, masters, and parents.

Just recently, he’d learned how to treat a disciple.

This was Lukas’ first time having a child. Though the origin of the relationship was a
bit strange, he did not want to treat this bond carelessly now that it had been
formed.

Even if she wasn’t his child by blood, he still wanted to treat their bond seriously and
form the most desirable relationship for the both of them.

As he had this thought, Lukas looked down at Sedi.

“So I’ll think about it from now on.”

“Think about what?”

“How a father should treat his daughter. What I can do for you. And what an ideal
father-daughter relationship should be like.”

“…”

Sedi looked at Lukas with a blank expression for a moment.

She felt strange.

She didn’t know why, but Lukas’ words touched her heart deeply. For the first time,
Sedi felt like that missing part of her was being temporarily filled.

“So you should also think about it seriously… about what you want from a father.”

For some reason, she could no longer look at Lukas.

Sedi turned her head away and said.

“I, I see.”

She didn’t know why, but her face was burning. Unable to contain her nervousness,
Sedi tapped her foot on the ground.
The Korea Branch connected the Warp Portal much more easily than they expected.

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but wonder how Kim Min-chul, who had been an ordinary
civilian just a few years ago, had obtained that much authority. She was a bit
skeptical about the fact that he accepted her words without asking about the
particular circumstances, but she couldn’t ask that at the moment.

One of the reasons was that they were using an emergency communication line,
which meant that they couldn’t talk for a long time.

“The portal will be open for one day, so please come over before it closes.”

Kim Min-chul had said these words with a smile.

That meant that they could go to Korea as soon as they were ready.

Now, they just needed to step into the portal, and with the push of a button, they
would immediately be sent over to the Korea Branch.

Vincent looked at the three people who would be embarking on the mission.

Lukas, Min Ha-rin, and Sedi. They all stood in front of the Warp Portal, looking at
him.

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, it seems Nodiesop’s influence hasn’t reached there yet.”

This wasn’t necessarily good news.

Regardless of whether it was Nodiesop or not, the atmosphere of the Korea Branch
that they had seen through the monitor was different from before. Unfortunately,
they would only be able to learn the details by going through the portal.

“Are you sure you don’t need more pe—”

“It’s fine, Vincent. You saw the video from the training ground, right?”

“…right.”

Vincent’s gaze subconsciously shifted to the side, to Sedi, who was yawning with a
bored expression on her face.

He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen the video of the fight with his own
eyes. That this thin, young girl was able to single-handedly overwhelm a group of the
North America Headquarters’ best hunters.

‘She’s stronger than a Branch President.’

It was possible she might have been much older than she looked.

The higher the level of a being, the slower their body aged. And if they went a step
further and reached a certain level, their entire body could be reconstructed.

Of course, these were only conjectures that had been written in martial arts manuals
for centuries, but he’d heard that some Warriors had experienced this phenomenon.

‘This girl should be a member of <Argento Spell> as well.’

Vincent felt a brief hint of admiration.

Following the defeat of one of the Five Dukes, if this mission was a success and they
went on to save the President of the Hunter Association, there would be no hunters
who didn’t know their name.

“There’s no time to waste. Please activate the Portal.”

Vincent nodded at Lukas’ words.

“…I wish you good luck.”

Paht-

Then, a bright light enveloped the area around the portal.

***
The feeling of weightlessness gradually disappeared and she became aware of the
fact that she was now standing on the ground.

The Warp had been successful.

“…cough, cough.”

Before the bright light that surrounded her body had even fully dissipated, Min Ha-
rin began to cough.

The quality of the air was horrible. It was like she had just breathed a bunch of dust
into her lungs. Was it because she had just come from a place with incredibly clean
air?

No. The air in Busan shouldn’t have been this bad.

After a short while, the light completely disappeared and the surroundings became
visible.

“Mm…”

Like North America, the Warp Portals were installed outside in an open area, not in a
building or underground.

But the landscape they saw was a perfect contrast to the beautiful North America.

Busan.

It was once one of the port cities that represented East Asia.

Of course, the appearance of the Demons caused some damage, but it hadn’t been as
bad as in other regions. That’s why the Korea Branch was established in this city.

However, the view of the city that she could see now made Min Ha-rin speechless.

Collapsed buildings, hazy smoke, and utter silence created an image similar to that of
a world on the brink of destruction.

Lukas also took a breath of the air. The air wasn’t bad because it had been
contaminated by demonic energy. Instead, the air itself had been contaminated by
several harmful gases.

“Welcome to the Korea Branch.”

A man standing beside the portal smiled and spoke to them.

Min Ha-rin immediately recognised him as Kim Min-chul, whom she had known
since childhood, but at the same time, she didn’t recognise him.

This was probably because of the clothes he was wearing.

His clothes were similar to those worn by clerics of the church. But instead of black,
they were bright, pristine white.

It was a strange sight. Almost as though the dust that circulated in the air avoided
him.

“Uncle?”

“You look even prettier in person. You grew up so beautifully. I’m glad you’re okay,
Ha-rin.”

Kim Min-chul smiled gently.

It was the same warm smile that she often saw in the past, but there was a strange
feeling hidden behind it that made Min Ha-rin speechless.

Kim Min-chul’s eyes turned to Lukas and Sedi at the back.

“And who might you be?”

“I’m Frey Blake. A European Hunter. Min Ha-rin and I are in the same sect.”

“Ah. I see.”

For a moment, Kim Min-chul was puzzled by what he meant by being in the same
sect, but he quickly hid his expression and bowed politely with her unique, gentle
smile.

“I’m Kim Min-chul. I’m just an old man who watched Ha-rin grow up. I knew her
since she was just a kid with dreams of becoming a hunter, and now, she’s all grown
up… Time is a scary thing. Hahaha.”

“I see.”

It seemed that he was trying to lighten the mood, but Lukas only nodded his head in
a businesslike manner.

This attitude made Kim Min-chul a bit embarrassed, and he scratched his head with
an awkward expression.

“By the way… Why are you here in Korea?”

“We heard that the Saint is here.”

Lukas spoke in a blunt tone.

Min Ha-rin looked at her Master with a slightly startled expression. They hadn’t
talked about this before coming.

Kim Min-chul looked at Lukas with a strange, indecipherable gaze before nodding.

“That’s right.”

“Excuse me. Mr. Kim Min-chul, do you know the Saint?”

“Huhu.”

Kim Min-chul chuckled and shook his head.

“I don’t think there is anyone in this city who doesn’t know him.”

“…”

He smiled, turning around.

“For now, follow me.”

The group nodded and followed Kim Min-chul.

It seemed that it had rained a short while ago as there were small puddles scattered
across the street.

As they walked down the muddy street, only the patter of their feet could be heard.
This street had probably been something of a shopping center in the past, but now,
the only proof of this was the slanted, flickering neon lights attached to bent poles.

“Uncle.”

“Hmm?”

“Did you hear anything from China?”

“Ah. Do you mean the man named Nodiesop who became the new President?”

“Yeah.”

“He contacted the Branch President a few times.”

“What did the Branch President say?”

“He said no.”

“How did he respond to that? I’m sure he must have pressured you.”

Kim Min-chul smiled at that.

“We do not have to be wary of the Asia Headquarters anymore. Not to mention Asia,
even the Demons won’t come to this place anymore.”

“Huh?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

After saying that, Kim Min-chul increased his pace, leading them further into the city.
Lukas and Sedi, who were walking at the back of the group, exchanged glances.

[Father, this guy is suspicious.]

Sedi’s voice rang in Lukas’ head. He nodded slightly.

[I could get this guy to tell us everything he knows. It would only take me a minute.]

This time, he shook his head.

If they were to use Sedi’s method, Kim Min-chul’s mind would be destroyed and his
body wouldn’t be left in much better shape. However, as he was Min Ha-rin’s
acquaintance, they couldn’t do that without any confirmation.

Sedi turned her head away and pouted in dissatisfaction at Lukas’ refusal.

“Is big brother Sung-hyun…”

Min Ha-rin deliberately trailed off at the end of her sentence.

“It was about 2 years ago. He fought bravely, but in the end, he could not escape
death.”

“…”

Kim Sung-hyun was Kim Min-chul’s only son and a hunter. Unfortunately, his talent
was only ordinary. So, unlike Min Ha-rin, who traveled throughout Asia, Kim Sung-
hyun served as a security guard for the Korea Branch.

Korea had not been directly exposed to the threat of the Demons yet. That’s why she
hadn’t thought that Kim Sung-hyun would lose his life.

Min Ha-rin looked at Kim Min-chul’s back.

She could imagine how terrible it must have felt when he lost his son.

His wife had died shortly after giving birth, so Kim Min-chul gave Kim Sung-hyun all
of the affection that was meant for his wife. If it was the Kim Min-chul she knew, it
wouldn’t be strange if he collapsed after the death of his son and become a wastrel.

That was why Min Ha-rin’s doubts deepened.

Suddenly, Kim Min-chul stopped.

“We’re here.”
“…here.”

It was a place that Min Ha-rin knew well.

It was the entrance to the Korea Branch of the Hunter Association, which was a
renovated underground shopping mall in the center of Busan.

But it felt completely different from back then.

First of all, the people guarding the hideout weren’t Korean. Also, instead of clothes
that normal hunters wore, their clothing was similar to Kim Min-chul’s.

The skyscraper that sat above the shopping mall had originally been used only as a
decoy, but now, the entire building was lit.

Above all, flags and banners covered the building. Each of these flags, which fluttered
in the wind, had the symbol of two eyes on a pure white background.

When the guards spotted them, they bowed politely.

“Father, you’ve returned.” (TL: Like the way one would address a priest of the
church)

“The people behind you…?”

“They are the guests I mentioned before.”

“Ah… I see.”

One of the guards looked over to the group and bowed slightly.

“Welcome to the Church of Eternal Life.”

(TL: Should I change ‘branch president’ to something else? I feel like I used
‘president’ too much. Maybe something like ‘branch manager’ instead?)
“…Church of Eternal Life? Isn’t this the Korea Branch Headquarters?”

When he heard this, the expression on the guard’s face became a bit strange.

“I’ll explain in a little bit. Let’s go inside first.”

Kim Min-chul stepped forward, cutting off the conversation. The guards bowed once
more before opening the doors.

After going inside the building, they went into an elevator and went up.

When they stopped at the 5th floor, Kim Min-chul guided them to a room.

“Please wait here for a moment.”

“Ah, uncle. Wait a minute.”

“What is it?”

“Where are my younger siblings now?”

“…”

Min Ha-rin’s face was a bit flushed when she said this.

Although she didn’t want to admit it in front of Lukas, the main reason why she
agreed to come to Korea this time was because she was worried about her younger
siblings.

Of course, she knew that they were older now and she didn’t need to baby them, but
it had been a few years since she’d last seen them, and she was a bit worried.

It would also be a lie to say that she didn’t miss them.

Kim Min-chul’s expression darkened slightly. He stood there for a moment before
muttering briefly.

“…I’ll bring them to you. Wait here.”

After saying that, Kim Min-chul left the room. As soon as he was gone, Sedi sat on the
well-made bed and shook her hips a little before frowning.

“This place is unpleasant.”

Her gaze then turned to where Kim Min-chul had been standing before.

“Especially that guy. I have a bad feeling about him.”

“Uncle Min-chul is not a bad person.”

“Who said he was a bad person? I just have a bad feeling. More importantly…”

Sedi turned to Min Ha-rin.

“You… Why do you keep talking informally to me?”

“I should be the one asking you that.”

Strangely, Min Ha-rin felt that she didn’t want to lose to Sedi. She’d felt this way the
moment she learned that she was Lukas’ daughter. In other words, from the very
beginning.

Although this little girl was probably strong enough to survive being hit by a truck,
she didn’t intend to lower her head.

“I’m older than you.”

“You bare-faced liar. You look younger than my younger siblings.”

“You cheeky mortal…”

Lukas ignored the two bickering women and opened the window.

He blocked the dirty air from entering the room with a barrier and looked at the
landscape outside.
The streets below were so hazy that it was hard to believe it was only midday.

In all honesty, Lukas felt quite frustrated at that moment.

The streets were narrow and seemed to have not been built with any consideration
for the locations of the buildings. The sizes were also different, so there was no
uniformity even if one squinted one’s eyes. It was completely different from the
sophisticated streets and skyscrapers that he saw in North America. It also felt even
worse because of how close together they were. (TL: If Lukas thinks Korea is bad, he
should never come to my country.)

To make matters worse. Most of the streets were built on a mountainside, and there
were many side streets, which seemed much more complicated than even the worst
slums.

‘It’s a country with a small territory compared to its population.’

When he recalled the characteristics of Korea, Lukas understood to an extent.

Click.

Then the door opened again. Kim Min-chul had returned.

“It’s too late for today, so I’ll arrange for a meeting with the Saint tomorrow morning.
Is that all right?”

When Lukas nodded, Kim Min-chul smiled.

“And Ha-rin, I brought your younger siblings.”

He then turned around and beckoned.

“Ha-min, Ha-yun, come here.”

Min Ha-rin turned to look behind Kim Min-chul.

But when she saw her younger siblings for the first time in quite a few years, her
heart sank.

***
In confirmation of Min Ha-rin’s earlier words, although they were clearly teenagers,
they both looked older than Sedi.

But it wasn’t their age that Min Ha-rin noticed.

She hadn’t seen them in years.

But there was one reason why her heart sank instead of becoming filled with
pleasure at their reunion.

Both of them were covered in injuries. Of course, they couldn’t be called serious
injuries, but they both had scars all over their bodies. Some of them appeared new,
some looked like they were almost finished healing, and some were completely
healed.

Min Ha-rin had never seen these scars before.

“…you guys…”

For the first time in a long while, she called out to her younger siblings.

Her call caused them to flinch back before slowly raising their heads to see who was
calling them.

Their eyes, which were half-filled with doubt, grew wider before becoming filled
with tears.

“…Big sis.”

“B-, big sis!”

Then they rushed over to Min Ha-rin and hugged her.

“Big sis!”

“H-, huk.”

As she wrapped her arms around her crying brother and sister, Min Ha-rin felt like
crying as well. Forcibly suppressing the tightness of her throat, Min Ha-rin spoke
slowly.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to contact you. Why are you guys so injured? What happened
to you?”

Now that she could see them up close, Min Ha-rin was in a rush to find out what
happened.

The pain she felt at that moment was much greater than when she suffered from
serious injuries.

When she mentioned their wounds, the two flinched and exchanged glances.

“Th-, these wounds…”

“They are…”

“They are medals.”

This answer came from Kim Min-chul.

He was watching the reunion of the three siblings with a pleased expression.

“…medals?”

“Your younger siblings are currently undergoing trials to enter the Church of Eternal
Life. Originally, they wouldn’t have been able to contact outsiders while undergoing
their trials, but we made a special exception for you, Ha-rin. After all, you haven’t
seen your younger siblings in years.”

Min Ha-rin’s gaze became sharp.

She slowly turned to Kim Min-chul and asked in a pointed tone.

“These trials… are they taking them voluntarily?”

“Of course.”

“…that’s impossible.”

Unlike herself, her two younger siblings had never dared to undergo any hardships.
They were naturally gentle and timid, and they had never even fought against others
when they were younger, let alone Demons.

She knew that better than anyone.

She had raised them by herself since they were babies.

She would never believe that her younger siblings would willingly undergo any kind
of painful trial.

Min Ha-rin looked down at Ha-min and Ha-yun. Their lips twitched slightly as
though they wanted to say something, but in the end, they both lowered their heads,
remaining silent.

This sight made her stomach churn.

Min Ha-rin’s eyes turned to Kim Min-chul once again.

“I will never forgive anyone who dares to touch my family.”

“I know. You’ve always loved your younger siblings dearly.”

“…What the hell is the Church of Eternal Life?”

“It is the light, the only hope that we can get through these desperate times.”

After saying this, Kim Min-chul’s calm expression became serious.

“Ha-rin, you should join our church as well. I’m sure the Saint and the Bishop would
accept you with open arms. At your level, you wouldn’t even have to undergo the
trials.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t intend to follow some kind of mysterious religion like that.”

Kim Min-chul’s expression became one of displeasure.

“…are you insulting our Church of Eternal Life?”

“With the things you did to my-”

“We have no intention of doing that. Ha-rin is just overreacting a little.”

It was Lukas who interrupted Min Ha-rin before her tirade could begin. Then, Min
Ha-rin’s aura, which had begun to rise, slowly settled back down.

Kim Min-chul watched this with a slightly surprised expression.

‘Ha-rin listened to him so easily.’

The Min Ha-rin he knew, while not rude, was very independent and stubborn at the
same time as being extremely hot-headed.

She was the type who would never back down if she thought something was wrong,
so she was often called ‘the child who grew up too quickly to be cute’ by the adults.

That was why Kim Min-chul found it strange that Min Ha-rin listened to Lukas’
words so easily.

Lukas walked over to Min Ha-rin’s siblings, kneeled, and looked them in the eyes.

Min Ha-min, and Min Ha-yun.

Both of them looked very similar to Min Ha-rin. The boy appeared to be a few years
older.

“Hello.”

“Ah, hello.”

“Hi… who are you, oppa?”

“I’m Ha-rin’s Master.”

“Her Master?”

“Right.”

Lukas smiled gently after saying that, and one of the eyebrows of Sedi, who was
standing behind him, twitched slightly.

Suddenly, Kim Min-chul coughed in his hand.

“It’s getting late, and you must be tired after a long-distance teleportation, so we’ll
get going. Now, children. It was nice to see her again after a long time, wasn’t it? It’s
time to go back now.”

The warm atmosphere, which had just formed, was destroyed by his voice.

Min Ha-min and Min Ha-yun lowered their heads, not daring to refute him.

“W-, we’ll see you later, big sis.”

Min Ha-min turned around first. But Min Ha-yun hesitated a bit before looking up at
Min Ha-rin and opening her mouth.

“H-, hey, big sis. By chance…”

Min Ha-rin realised what her little sister wanted to say, and spoke in a firm tone.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Ah.”

“Don’t worry, just trust me. Everything is going to be all right.”

“M-, mhm.”

It was only then when Min Ha-min and Min Ha-yun’s expressions brightened for the
first time.

Kim Min-chul sent them away first, but he didn’t leave immediately.

“Ha-rin.”

“Yeah.”

There was a big change.

There was no longer any affection in their voices.

“The Leader and the Branch President want to meet you. Can you meet them right
now?”
“…the Branch President.”

The person he referred to as Leader should have been the head of the Church of
Eternal Life. In all honesty, she wasn’t fond of the offer.

‘However… ’

She had to meet the President of the Korea Branch.

If she met him, she would be able to find out what the hell happened here.

“Understood.”

“Good. Let’s go right away… why don’t the two of you wait here for a while?”

Kim Min-chul looked over to Lukas and Sedi as he said the last part.

In an unexpected display of cooperation, Lukas nodded.

“No problem.”

“Thank you for your understanding. Let’s go Ha-rin.”

“Yeah.”

Min Ha-rin made eye contact with Lukas before following Kim Min-chul. Lukas
simply nodded without saying anything, but that alone was enough to fill Min Ha-rin
with confidence.

She didn’t know what the Church of Eternal Life was or what was going on there.
However, she didn’t think they would be a threat to her with her Master here.

Min Ha-rin clenched her fist and walked confidently behind Kim Min-chul.

Tak.

The door closed.

Sedi looked at it for a while before muttering softly.

“That was unexpected.”

“What was?”

“That girl. Min Ha-rin or whatever. I feel like she’s different when she’s with you. I
think I just saw an expression I never saw her make before.”

She saw an unexpected side.

Lukas nodded.

“That’s because you’ve only seen her rely on me. But there are things that Min Ha-rin
has to protect as well.”

When he protected those weaker than himself, he grew stronger.

Min Ha-rin appeared to be the same. Without even giving herself enough time to
grieve after losing their parents, she steeled herself to raise her two younger siblings
who were more frightened and anxious than she was.

“Perhaps what you’re seeing now is Min Ha-rin’s true form.”

“That’s enough of your human anthem. In any case, this place is suspicious. The
<Church of Eternal Life>.”

A condescending smirk spread across Sedi’s lips.

“That’s not a concept mortals should talk about.”

“…”

“So what are you going to do? Are you going to stay here?”

“No. I need to go for now.”

Lukas was silent for a moment before looking up.

“There’s something that concerns me.”

Tap-

They walked down a dark hallway.

The only sound that could be heard was their soft footsteps, and the lights above
them flashed as though they hadn’t been maintained for a long time.

The people they encountered as they walked all bowed deeply to Kim Min-chul. To
Min Ha-rin, they were more like puppets than people.

Unable to bear the silence, Min Ha-rin opened her mouth.

“Are we going to see the Branch President?”

“Huh? Ah.”

Kim Min-chul answered without looking back.

“We’re going to the Bishop first.”

“…”

They went down to the basement.

Not by elevator but by stairs.

They descended down a spiral staircase that had clearly not been there before. The
deeper they went, the darker it became and the more unsettled Min Ha-rin became.

It felt that not just her body but also her mind was being buried beneath the ground.

After an unknown amount of time passed, they reached the end of the spiral
staircase, which felt like it led down into a bottomless abyss.

Several candles placed in a straight line along the hallway subtly illuminated their
path. Kim Min-chul walked down this hallway without hesitation, as though he was
very familiar with it.

‘…was there such a place in the Korea Branch?’

Suppressing her doubts, Min Ha-rin continued to follow Kim Min-chul.

Eventually, they arrived at a door at the end of the hallway, and when it opened, they
saw a person in the room.

At first, Min Ha-rin thought that the figure sitting in the middle of the room was a
corpse.

He was so old that she couldn’t help but think that.

The skin on his entire body was severely wrinkled to the point where he appeared
shriveled. His thin cheeks and wrist were reminiscent of an old tree.

The old man wore a priestly robe similar to what Kim Min-chul was wearing, but his
robes were embroidered and were much more colorful.

Of course, with his thin body, he looked more like a scarecrow wearing a sack than a
religious leader.

Looking at this old man, Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel that it wouldn’t be strange
if he died at any moment. She’d met people who were around 80 or 90 years old. But
this old man in front of her looked much older than them. It was as though he was
the embodiment of the concept of aging.

Nevertheless, there was one thing that stood out.

His eyes were sharp. Like a nocturnal animal’s or a predator’s, they stood out in the
dimly lit room.

“You must be Min Ha-rin.”

His voice was as rough as his appearance. A terrible sound similar to when one
scratched their nails on an old tree.

However, Kim Min-chul bowed his head reverently when he heard this voice as if
he’d heard the voice of God.

“I heard a lot about you from your younger siblings. I’m Slei Paprostin. The Bishop of
the Church of Eternal Life.”

“Min Ha-rin.”

“Right… Hmm.”

Slei smiled slightly as he looked Min Ha-rin over with his bright eyes.

“I heard you were a swordsman, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Are you a
Wizard?”

“That’s right.”

“A Swordsman became a Wizard? That’s not a simple process…”

Slei did not hide his interest in Min Ha-rin as he pointed upwards.

“Was it your Master upstairs who did that for you?”

“Yes.”

“Right. As we expected, he is a great being.”

Min Ha-rin narrowed her eyes at those words.

“…do you know my Master?”

“Right.”

Slei chuckled.

“We’ve been waiting for him.”

“…”

“Come and have a seat, Min Ha-rin. We have so much to talk about. I’ll use this
chance to explain to you. The doctrine of our Church of Eternal Life.”
 ***

Lukas used Ghost to look around the base.

After becoming an Absolute, he no longer needed to distinguish between his body

and soul, but this time, he made an effort to leave his body in the room.

This was because he thought someone might stop by to check on the room while he
was roaming around the base. If that were to happen, it would be very suspicious if
Lukas wasn’t present.

Of course, the most important reason for this decision was the fact that he had a
reliable bodyguard now.

Lukas thought about Sedi for a moment before resuming his search.

Few of the people there appeared to be hunters. Instead, most of them wore priestly
robes like Kim Min-chul. Of course, there were some differences from the robes worn
by Catholic priests.

What concerned him was the heavy atmosphere that seemed to cover the entire
branch. Instead of going underground, Lukas headed up. To the very top of this large
skyscraper.

That was where the thing that ‘concerned him’ was.

Shuk-

At the very top of the building was a large room from which one could overlook the
entirety of Busan. In this room, which was so bright that one could forget the
darkness of the city, stood a single figure.

This figure suddenly turned around.

This figure had a strangely neutral appearance. There were no traits or indicators of
gender among this figure’s neat facial features.

Above all, it was their white eyes that truly drew Lukas’ attention. These eyes, with
no pupil or iris, shined brightly, even in the brightly lit room. In fact, it felt like the
brightness in the room was actually light that was ‘pouring’ from their eyes.
They looked towards Lukas.

At first, Lukas thought it was a coincidence. After all, it was impossible for even a
Great Wizard who had reached 9 stars to see Lukas when he was in his Ghost state.
But after this person’s gaze turned to Lukas, it didn’t turn away.

Instead, as more time passed, the certainty that they were looking at him increased.

“Ah! Hello!”

Finally, they smiled softly, their expression a mixture of purity and naivety.

“How can I help you, soul?”

“What did you think when you first heard the name Church of Eternal Life?”

“That it’s a cult.”

Min Ha-rin spoke in a blunt tone, and Kim Min-chul’s eyes widened.

“Min Ha-rin!”

“Ahaha!”

Slei, on the other hand, burst into laughter. Min Ha-rin wondered briefly where that
thin body found the energy to let out such a loud laugh.

This old man in front of her was the Bishop, the highest authority in the Church of
Eternal Life. So she wanted to see how he would react if she insulted his religion in
front of him.

It was very rude, but she couldn’t think of any other way. For Min Ha-rin, it was more
important than anything else to figure out exactly what this mysterious religion was
and how to get her younger siblings out of it.

“Actually, there was a cult that carried this name in the past. However, we are very
different from them, and so is our path. Immortality is not something mortals can
hope to achieve.”

“Then why do you call yourselves the Church of Eternal Life?”

“Eternal life, everlasting life… What do you think it means to have such a life? Does it
end when your body dies? It doesn’t. As long as the soul doesn’t disappear, the being
will not disappear. The same goes for the path we walk on. Everything will be
reincarnated.”

“…”

Reincarnation was a religious term that was mainly used in Buddhism.

So when this old man in priestly robes said this word, it felt a bit strange.

“It seems to me that the Church of Eternal Life took concepts that belong to other
religions and interpreted them as they please.”

“It’s natural for us to take from them. After all, we are latecomers. Religions that
were created before we were knowledge worthy of their age. If the things that they
say are the truth, it’s not unreasonable for us to say it as well.”

The old man’s stiff lips twisted slightly.

“But do you know the crucial difference between us and them?”

“I don’t.”

“Out of all religions, the Church of Eternal Life is the only one able to prove the
existence of souls and the afterlife.”

“…huh?”

Unable to understand, Min Ha-rin blinked for a while. Then, she shook her head and
responded.

“Isn’t it just ‘if you believe in the God we believe in, you’ll go to heaven’ or something
like that? I don’t see how that makes you different from other religions.”

“There are a lot of differences. Because we don’t have the gods that most religions
believe in.”

Slei chuckled.

“There are many religions in this world, but the holy power that they use doesn’t
come from the God they believe in. Instead, it comes from their own faith and belief…
In other words, their own willpower.”

“…and you are different?”

“That’s right. Because we borrow the power of the God we believe in.”

Slei once more before gesturing to Kim Min-chul behind him.

“Would you mind giving us a minute? I would like to speak to Min Ha-rin alone.”

“But Bishop…”

“Pfft, don’t worry. No matter how old I am, I can still deal with this child.”

“…understood.”

Kim Min-chul was reluctant, but he dared not disobey a direct order from the Bishop.
With heavy steps, he left the room.

Tak-

The door closed, and silence fell once again.

Slei let out a soft chuckle.

“What do you think of when you hear the word ‘God’?”

“…God, the Creator, the being who made all things.”

She didn’t believe in God.

Min Ha-rin swallowed her words before she could say them, but Slei was able to pick
up on what she was thinking.

“Hmm. You’re an atheist. There used to be a lot of atheists in Korea.”

“Is that so?”

Nowadays, there were often crosses and other religious symbols wherever one
looked, so she wasn’t aware of it.

However, before the advent of the Demons, the percentage of atheists in Korea was
among the highest in the world.

“Omniscience and omnipotence. These are traits that only God is qualified to
possess. In that sense, there can only be one being who can be called God in all
universes. Most beings don’t know that fact, but we were able to recognise it.”
All universes.

These words sounded strange to her, but Min Ha-rin chose not to point it out.

“The absolute being. The one true God. You’re not trying to say that’s you, are you?”

Most cult leaders tended to refer to themselves as God or claimed to be the sons of
God who had inherited their blood.

The world was already broken. Crowds of wounded and desperate people wailed in
the streets, their hearts and wills shattering at the slightest touch.

Ironically, this was the best time for religions to flourish.

Those who were injured, sick, or had lost their loved ones instinctively sought
something to rely on.

Min Ha-rin never thought that religion was a bad thing. After all, she was happy that
the wounded and ill could find shelter.

What she really hated were those who used the weak for their own means.

People who treated faith like a business, who were no better than trash.

“Huhu.”

Despite Min Ha-rin’s harsh tone and rude attitude, Slei remained calm.

“Of course not. I’m nothing more than a mortal who was lucky enough to sit on this
seat through the hand of fate.”

“…”

His attitude took Min Ha-rin by surprise.

She could tell from his expression. This man wasn’t trying to be humble, nor was he
pretentious. He genuinely thought so.

“Let’s get back to the main topic. The soul is our source, a repository of our
memories, of our path so far. Generally, no being has the right to extinguish the soul,
so it can be said to have some degree of immortality. So as long as our souls don’t
disappear, our lives won’t disappear. Couldn’t that, then, be called eternal life?”

Slei stood up, his face slightly flushed and his breathing noticeably quicker.

It seemed that he was so excited that he could no longer contain it.

“But eternal life is also a poisoned holy grail. How long would it take for the blessing
of eternal life to instead feel like a curse of eternal torture? A hundred years? A
thousand? I don’t know because I haven’t lived that long… But I’m certain that it
would be much shorter than I thought. So I thought, pondered, agonised about it
before finally finding the answer. In order to live an eternal life, one must be
accompanied by those one truly loves.”

“…huh?”

Min Ha-rin’s eyes widened at the unexpected remark.

Slei let out a low laugh.

“Whether it’s your family, siblings, friends, or lovers, anyone will do. As long as there
is someone to accompany you through the eons, the blessing will never become a
curse.”

Slei’s expression changed as he muttered in a low voice.

“[Everlasting Life together with the ones you love]. That is the doctrine of our Church
of Eternal Life.”

“…are you trying to say that if I entered the Church of Eternal Life, my siblings and I
could be together forever?”

“It’s not just that. Didn’t I say earlier? We have proven the existence of souls and the
afterlife.”

“…!”

Min Ha-rin’s eyes suddenly went wide at those words.

“There’s no way…”
“We can also revive the dead.”

Min Ha-rin took a deep, heavy breath.

At that moment, the faces of Kim Min-chul, who had seemed strangely calm all this
time, and Kim Sung-hyun, whom she’d loved dearly, appeared in Min Ha-rin’s mind.

“I didn’t force any of your younger siblings to join us. I simply told them one thing. In
return for joining the Church of Eternal Life, you will be able to see your parents
again.”

“…those kids have no memory of our parents.”

“That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t want to meet them.”

“…”

Min Ha-rin belatedly realised that the defiance in her voice had become dull.

Perhaps Slei noticed it too.

He fixed his expression before speaking in a low, heavy tone.

“Ha-rin, don’t you want to see your dead parents again?”

***

Lukas realised that the person in front of him had the most powerful ‘soul eyes’ that
he’d ever seen before.

‘No.’

It wasn’t just soul eyes. The power that he could feel from those eyes could not be
described with just one term.

A white glow appeared in Lukas’ eyes. He started to examine the person’s eyes with
Clairvoyance.

And soon, he received a startling result.

To Lukas’ surprise, even his Clairvoyance was unable to see through their eyes. Lukas
looked at them properly once again.

Pure white eyes without even the slightest blemish stared back at him unblinkingly.

‘Soul… they called me a soul.’

It seemed that this person had mistaken him for a soul.

Lukas decided to use this misunderstanding to his benefit.

[I want to know your name.]

The person smiled and answered this absurd question without any hesitation.

“My name is Arid.”

[…Arid, you can see souls?]

Of course, it wasn’t the fact that he could see souls in itself that was terrifying.

When one achieved a certain level of holy power, one could accumulate soul energy
in one’s eyes. The resulting soul eyes allowed one to look beyond the material world
and get a glimpse of the mystical world.

What Lukas paid attention to was the fact that Arid had ‘accurately’ pinpointed his
location although he was using Ghost.

There were probably no more than 10 humans in this world who could notice him
when he was in this state. And even if they did notice him, it would still be almost
impossible for them to look at him.

Now that Lukas had separated his body and soul, his soul was now in an unfiltered
and unsuppressed state. This meant that if an ordinary mortal were to look at him,
their brain would probably become fried.

But this human named Arid was different.

He didn’t seem to be burdened at all despite looking directly at Lukas’ face. Nor did
he seem to perceive him as anything other than a soul.

This was proof that he had formidable talent.

“But I’ve never seen a soul as large as you.”

Arid smiled innocently.

An indescribable admiration flashed in their eyes.

“Really… You’re so big that it’s hard to see all of you with a glance. This is my first
time seeing a soul like you. I’m not sure I’d succeed.”
[Succeed?]

“Yeah! I send souls to the <Happy Country>.”

[…]

The Happy Country. There was no country with such a name in this world, and it
seemed that the name was referring to something else.

“Ahem.”

Arid suddenly cleared his throat and spoke with a reverent expression.

“Now, then, Mr. Soul. Tell me what troubles you have that prevent you from finding
peace and make you wander around the world. I will help you.”

[I have no troubles.]

“Huh?”

[…?]

Arid seemed to have not expected such a response and lost their persona for a
moment. But with a soft cough, they quickly reformed their expression.

“…ahem. Excuse me. Um, are you saying that nothing is troubling you?”

That wasn’t possible.

Arid tilted their head to the side.

It was very difficult to become a soul without troubles, regrets, or anguish.

[Well, I do. But I don’t think you would be able to solve them.]

“Ahh. I’m sure that a soul as large as you are would have quite a few troubles.”

Arid said this in a solemn tone as they patted their chest.

“Nevertheless, you have troubles. I can assure you that you will feel much lighter
after confiding in me. I will gladly listen.”

[…]

Troubles.

Of course, Lukas had countless troubles.

If he were to talk about the thing that was troubling him the most lately, it would
definitely be Kasajin.

But Lukas shook his head and asked instead.

[What about you?]

“Huh?”

[You seem to have a lot of troubles as well.]

A look of surprise crossed Arid’s face.

“Ahaha… you’re quite sharp. You’re different from other souls! This is the first time
I’ve been asked something like that.”

[…]

“It’s all right, though. My troubles are insignificant.”

[There is no such thing as insignificant trouble. That’s a contradiction.]

If it was insignificant, then it wouldn’t be a problem.

Lukas looked carefully at Arid. After looking at them for a moment, he opened his
mouth.

[You were born with a very rare gift.]

“It must be God’s will.”

[…a long time ago, I met someone like you.]

“Huh?”

Arid’s eyes widened at those words.

It was as though they’d never heard those words before.

But Lukas wasn’t lying.

While he hadn’t been able to completely see through their soul’s eyes with his
Clairvoyance, he was still able to see its essence. And the image of a woman
immediately appeared in his mind.

A woman who came from an island country.

The name of the country was <Hitume Ikar>, and that woman held the title ‘Great
Medium’ in that country.

And the being ‘Dawns’ that was worshipped in that country… turned out to be God.

The one and only creator, who created all of the three thousand worlds.*

The Great Medium had probably been the only one in that universe who could hear
the voice of God.

Arid was probably the same.

[Can you hear God’s voice as well?]

“…!”

Lukas looked at Arid’s surprised expression.

He was certain at that moment.

This person with a neutral appearance was the Saint of Salvation, one of the Top
Three.

***

“Wow!”
Arid’s voice was filled with genuine admiration.

“How did you know?”

[Your eyes told me so.]

“Ah. These?”

Arid touched their eyes. Then, they suddenly turned to the table beside them and
picked up the white strip of cloth that lay there.

“I usually cover my eyes with this.”

There was no need for them to explain.

There were only two reactions an ordinary person would have upon seeing Arid’s
eyes.

Awe or fear.

It wasn’t necessary to mention the latter, but the former was also not very good for
Arid. After all, there was no feeling more one-sided than awe.

“But Mr. Soul wasn’t very surprised when you saw my eyes. Is it perhaps because you
met people like me before?”

[…]

“The person who’s like me. Is it possible for me to meet them too?”

[It’s impossible.]

“Ah… I see.”

Arid scratched their cheek as they muttered this.

[Can you heal the injured?]

“Wow, you even know about that.”

Arid shrugged and muttered in a slightly smug voice.

“Not to brag or anything, but it is one of my best talents.”

[What about the dead?]

“Huh?”

[Can you bring the dead back to life?]

This was to verify the authenticity of the rumours he’d heard about the Saint before
coming here.

“That…”

Arid paused for a moment at those words. They seemed to seriously ponder about
something before finally opening their mouths.

“Ah. Is this question related to Mr. Soul’s troubles?”

[You could say that.]

In truth, his immediate goal was to heal Neil Prand.

The second question about resurrecting the dead was only his personal curiosity.

After thinking for a while, Arid finally shook their head slowly.

“I can’t resurrect them.”

[…]

That was natural.

Resurrecting someone who had already died was something that was difficult for
Lukas even if he were to use all of his power.

Of course, it was possible to forcefully pull a soul from the afterlife and place it in an
artificial body, but that couldn’t be called resurrection in the true sense of the word.
But Arid then said something strange.

“However, I can let you meet them.”

[Let me meet them?]

“Yeah. I can. If there is anyone you want to meet, then I can help you meet them. Even
if they are already dead or if their soul has crossed over to the other side.”

[…]

Arid smiled naively and said.

“That’s my ability.”

Was that the truth or a lie?

Lukas looked Arid in the eyes.

This was a habitual action when he was trying to see through the other, but it didn’t
have much of an effect against Arid. Their soul eyes perfectly countered his
Clairvoyance.

[Then…]

Just as Lukas was about to respond.

Chichik-

“Ugh…”

Sparks began flying off his body, and Arid stumbled backward, covering their eyes.

“Wh, what’s going on?”

Lukas couldn’t maintain the Ghost state for much longer. If he continued to roam
around without a vessel like his body, his soul would gradually return to its original
form. In other words, his full power as an Absolute would be unleashed.

That was the reason for the sparks. Lukas’ aura was gradually beginning to swell.
‘I can’t keep this up for much longer.’

No matter how amazing Arid’s soul eyes were, it was still a difficult task for them to
look at his true essence. So he had to return to his body to regulate and suppress his
soul once again.

[I have to leave now.]

“Ah…”

A strange look of regret appeared on Arid’s face.

They twiddled their fingers for a little bit before finally opening their mouth.

“Hey, Mr. Soul.”

[What is it?]

“Mr. Soul said that you don’t need me to bother with your troubles, but… it would be
better for a soul to go where it belongs instead of wandering the world. So…”

Seeing them stutter like that, Lukas realised what they were trying to say.

He nodded.

[I’ll be back.]

“Ah…”

Arid smiled brightly.

“Yeah.”

(*: The author really goes back and forth with the three thousand worlds concept.
One time they say that there are countless universes, and the next time they say it’s
three thousand worlds. So in truth, I’m not entirely sure which is correct. For now, I’ll
just keep translating as the author has it… and hopefully, we’ll have some
confirmation in the future.)
When Lukas returned to the room, he found Sedi fiddling with his body. The
expression on her face was so serious that one would think she was conducting
some extremely important research.

[What are you doing?]

“Mm!”

Sedi didn’t seem to be surprised by Lukas’ voice and instead raised her hand to her
chin contemplatively.

“I’m just checking exactly what you are.”

[…]

“As I expected, you’re an Absolute who was once a human. Nevertheless, Father’s
body is pretty high quality. From what I can see, you were probably the best among
humans.”

Shaking his head at Sedi’s strange praise, Lukas returned to his body.

But even after entering his body, she didn’t let go of him. In fact, she actually began to
act more aggressively.

With her two small hands, she stretched Lukas’ cheeks to their maximum.

This was the first time he had ever experienced something like this, so Lukas was
speechless for a while.

“Wow. Amazing.”

“…what is?”

“Father’s face got warmer when your soul returned. By the way, how can you
separate your body and soul? Is that one of your Lord abilities?”
“…”

Forcefully moving Sedi’s hands away, Lukas rose from his seat.

Sedi pouted slightly but obediently backed away.

“Did you have any harvest?”

“Right. I met the Saint.”

“Oh? How was it?”

“They are certainly a strange person. I couldn’t fully see through them.” (TL: Still
using ‘they’ since there hasn’t been any gender confirmation)

“You coul-?”

Just as Sedi asked back in surprise, the door opened and Min Ha-rin appeared. Kim
Min-chul was nowhere to be found.

However, Min Ha-rin’s attitude was a bit strange. She staggered around as though
she was broken.

“What’s wrong with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“…!”

Those words caused Min Ha-rin to subconsciously shiver.

Lukas walked up to the small refrigerator in a corner of the room, took out a small
plastic bottle, and handed it over to Min Ha-rin.

Min Ha-rin lowered her head as she received the bottle of water.

“…thank you.”

“What happened?”

“…”
Min Ha-rin’s face was extremely pale. Not only that, but her lips were also as white as
snow.

She hesitated for a moment before finally lifting her head and speaking for a
moment.

“Master, there is something I’d like to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Is it possible to bring the dead back to life?”

“…”

Lukas was silent for a moment.

“No, it’s not.”

As far as Lukas knew, only God and the Rulers, as well as very few Absolutes, who
had powers relating to life or creation, were able to resurrect the dead.

And there was no Absolute with that power currently in this universe.

“I just met the Bishop of the Church of Eternal Life. He said he would let me meet my
parents.”

He already knew that Min Ha-rin’s parents were dead.

Min Ha-rin continued with a heavy expression.

“…then I met my parents.”

At that moment, Sedi opened her mouth to say something, but Lukas discreetly
shook his head at her.

Min Ha-rin shook her head for a moment before taking a deep breath. It seemed as
though she was steeling her resolve and determination.

“Master, I would like to make a request.”

“What is it?”

“For the time being…”

Min Ha-rin hesitated one last time. Lukas could feel that this was because she was
preparing herself to make an incredibly difficult choice.

Nevertheless, it seemed that she’d already made up her mind. She wouldn’t back
down now.

Since she had already come this far, she might as well go all the way.

Forcibly suppressing her hesitation, Min Ha-rin spoke in a clear voice.

“For the time being, I would like to move around on my own.”

***

After Lukas agreed to her request, Min Ha-rin went to stay in a completely different
room. Fortunately, her room wasn’t very far. It was only a few doors down from this
room.

But that wasn’t the point.

The point was that for whatever reason, Min Ha-rin had voluntarily chosen to walk
out from Lukas’ shadow.

“I didn’t expect you to accept her request.”

“Why’s that?”

“It could be that she fell for the Bishop’s schemes. After all, it usually isn’t hard for
cult leaders to rope others in.”

“That’s a narrow-minded way of thinking. I have faith in Ha-rin.”

“Ah. I see.”

Sedi looked at Lukas with a blatantly unbelieving expression.

“Nevertheless, why do you look so happy?”

“Of course I’m happy. My disciple is already preparing to stand on her own.”

Although it was earlier than he expected, it was natural for a teacher to feel happy
when their student became more self-reliant.

That was why a smile was currently stretched across Lukas’ lips.

“That child will certainly become stronger. The experience she gains from this place
will be fertilizer for her growth.”

Sedi, who looked at him with a slightly displeased expression, muttered under her
breath.

“…you know. You’re supposed to be closer to your daughter than your disciple, aren’t
you?”

“That should normally be the case, yes. But why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“…no reason. Does Father have anything else to say? I’m sleepy, so I don’t want to talk
anymore.”

“…”

Now that he thought about it since she now had a human body, Sedi probably needed
to sleep. This was probably incredibly inconvenient and annoying for Sedi, who had
still been an Absolute just a few days ago.

Thinking about that, Lukas ended the conversation, allowing her to go to sleep.
Instead, he sat down and closed his eyes.

Then, he became immersed in his thoughts about their ‘mission’.

There was a time limit to saving Neil. To put it bluntly, it was probably a week, or it
might even be shorter than that.

This meant that he had to persuade the Saint, who resided at the top of the building,
within that time.
It would probably not be an easy task, but it would certainly be impossible if he were
to act hastily.

Lukas decided it was best not to rush.

***

The next morning, Kim Min-chul came to them.

“Mr. Frey, the Saint has accepted your request. They said they would be available in
the evening four days from now.”

Four days from now.

Considering the length of time, it was a bit tight, but Frey wasn’t in a rush since he
had already found a way to contact the Saint separately.

“Then I will meet them then.”

“Ah… By the way.”

Then, he spoke as though he’d suddenly remembered something.

“Would Mr. Frey also be willing to become a member of our Church of Eternal Life?”

“Sorry, but I am an atheist.”

“Ah. Come to think of it, you did mention that you were a Wizard.”

Kim Min-chul nodded with a disappointed expression.

At that moment, Sedi, who was lazily sprawled on the bed, suddenly spoke up.

“Can we get a tour or something like that?”

Kim Min-chul didn’t seem to mind the attitude of this girl who was young enough to
be his daughter and instead smiled.

“Of course you can.”

“Then I’d like to take a look around to pass the time. Is that alright, Father?”

Lukas nodded his head without much thought.

Since it was Sedi, there naturally wasn’t any reason for him to worry.

“Just come back before evening.”

This was because he had decided to meet with Arid that evening. Sedi simply nodded
before leaving the room with Kim Min-chul.

Lukas sat on the bed and meditated.

—By the time Lukas awoke from his meditation, the sky was already dark, and Sedi
had already returned.

“How was your tour?”

“It was boring and annoying.”

Sedi grumbled for a moment before looking at Lukas.

“Are you going to visit the Saint tonight?”

“Right?”

The expression of Sedi, which had been depressed until now, immediately
brightened.

She smiled slyly and waved her hand.

“Go have fun, Father. Daughter will protect your body.”

“…don’t do anything weird.”

“I won’t. I won’t.”

Lukas tried his best to erase the strange feeling of anxiety that welled up in him at
that moment before he once again headed to the top floor of the building with Ghost.
Just like the day before, Arid was calmly overlooking the city below. However, as
though they felt Lukas’ presence, they suddenly lifted their heads and turned around.

“Ah! Mr. Soul! You’re back.”

[As I promised.]

“Hehehe.”

Arid chuckled.

“I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday! Is there anyone that Mr. Soul would like
to meet?”

[…someone I’d like to meet?”

“Yeah! That’s what I’m best at! Helping others meet those that they want to meet.”

Now that he mentioned it, Lukas did recall hearing something like that the day
before.

…Someone he wanted to meet.

Of course, there was. But it was impossible for the human in front of him to fulfill his
wish. After all, it was qualitatively different from contacting souls that had already
passed to the afterlife or who were still wandering around the world.

Nevertheless, Lukas wouldn’t easily reveal that. After all, his priority was to build a
good relationship with Arid.

[There is.]
Arid’s expression brightened when they heard Lukas’ words.

“Ah! As I expected! Then I’ll immediately check for them.”

[Check for them? How?]

“That’s simple. As long as I touch you and concentrate…”

Just as Arid’s finger touched Lukas’ hand.

Sizzle.

“U-, ugh… Wh-, what was that? This…”

Arid’s face became white as Lukas shook his head.

[Don’t do that. I’m not a being you can afford to touch.]

“Ugh. E-, eek.”

Although they heard this, Arid didn’t give up. Instead, they bit their lip and
concentrated even more.

Due to their concentration, their eyes gradually began to glow white. In fact, light
began to pour out of their entire body like a fountain.

After a brief moment of surprise, Lukas realised that Arid was beginning to resonate
with him.

Even if briefly, they had managed to touch and connect with the soul of an Absolute.

This was an amazing feat. After all, this was something that even a first-class
Medium, Necromancer, or Sorcerer talented enough to be called a super genius
would be unable to do.
‘…however.’

It was not something that they could keep up for much longer. If it continued, Arid’s
body would slowly begin to crumble like a castle made of sand.

Just as Lukas was about to forcefully break the resonance between them, Arid spoke.

“The ones that Mr. Soul wants to see… are very far away.”

Arid’s voice was hoarse and came out in a stutter.

“They live… in a faraway place that is outside of this world.”

[…]

Lukas couldn’t help but shake slightly at those words.

As if possessed, Arid continued to speak in an airy manner.

“There are many people there waiting for Mr. Soul’s return… So many… I’m sorry, but
it would be impossible for me to help you see them all…”

[All…?]

“Yeah…”

Arid continued to speak without bothering to wipe the sweat that dripped from their
face.

“I can help you see… at least one person.”

Paht!

Suddenly, Lukas’ gaze was filled with a bright white light.

-The light was so bright that even he was dazed for a moment.

As the light slowly dimmed, a scene began to unveil before his eyes.

Lukas saw a large room, in the center of which sat a large throne. At first glance, one
might think that it was only roughly hewn, but upon closer inspection, one would
realise that it had been elaborately crafted. Nevertheless, it wasn’t the throne that
Lukas was paying attention to; it was the figure sitting on it.

A man with hair like a lion’s mane.

“…”

Lukas immediately recognised who this man was.

It seemed like only a few years had passed since he’d last seen him. His muscles
seemed to be a bit smaller, and his stomach a bit larger than he remembered, but
other than that, his appearance was almost the same.

He didn’t have any wrinkles yet. However, it seemed he had grown a beard. His beard
was just as unruly as his hair and perfectly matched his wild aura.

‘…I see.’

It seemed that much time hadn’t passed in that world.

Suddenly, the man’s eyes turned in his direction.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth with a lazy attitude.

[…I can feel you looking at me.]

The man, Ivan, spoke in his characteristic, arrogant tone.

[Which bastard is it?]

***

He hadn’t neglected his training.

Lukas wasn’t sure just how much time had passed, but he could at least see that
much. Compared to the last time he’d seen him, Ivan appeared to have grown
stronger.

This was great. After all, he had lost his right hand during the fight with Lord. He
knew just how much the loss of ‘one arm’ meant for a Warrior.

Nevertheless, Ivan seemed to have successfully regained and improved his strength,
Probably through an immense amount of hard work. Lukas couldn’t be sure if he’d
managed to perfect a new fighting style to match his condition, but at least he
seemed better.

[Ivan.]

Lukas called out to him.

But Ivan continued to look around, his expression becoming a bit strange.

It was as he expected. Ivan couldn’t see him, nor could he hear him.

Lukas could only watch on from the side.

This couldn’t be called a reunion. Nevertheless, Lukas shook this bitter thought from
his head, grateful to at least have this chance.

Ivan looked around for a bit longer before finally shaking his head.

“What’s going on? Was it all in my head?”

With a slight shrug, he leaned back on his throne.

“…I’m tired.”

Ivan had never been the type to say such words easily. He truly appeared tired at that
moment.

Lukas couldn’t help but wonder what was troubling him for him to be in such a state.

That wasn’t all.

He wanted to have a conversation with him. There was a heap of things that he
wanted to ask, that he wanted to talk about.

[How is everything now? How are the others?]

Like before, his voice didn’t reach Ivan.

Lukas let out a bitter chuckle. It wasn’t very Wizard-like of him to try something
when its failure had already been proven.

He had to be patient. Just being able to watch was enough for now.

His anxious heart slowly calmed, and an affectionate light shone in his eyes.

It was unexpectedly easy to calm his emotions.

Suddenly, the door to the throne room opened and someone strode in.

It took some time before Lukas was able to remember the name of this person.

“…Cairo Wilsemann.”

The man known as the 11th Tower Master and the leader of ‘Paragon’.

He looked at Ivan with his wrinkled face for a moment before bowing his head.

“Grand Master.”

“Mm.”

Ivan nodded charismatically.

Grand Master.

‘You’re the leader of the Circle now.’

This was something that Lukas had asked him to do, and although he’d grumbled
and complained at the time, it appeared that he’d kept his word.

Cairo then spoke with a heavy expression.

“The <Dijellik Gauntlets(1)> have been annihilated.”

“…even Gomez?”
“That’s right.”

Ivan pressed his fingers firmly to his temples.

“The army will gain momentum once again.”

“What will we do?”

“I will deal with it myself.”

Crunch-

Ivan clenched his left fist tightly before adding with an expression of dissatisfaction
on his face.

“…is what I’d like to say, but I know you’d never agree to it.”

“Isn’t it time you realised the weight of your position as Grand Master?”

“I envy that woman.”

Cairo let out a faint chuckle at those words.

“Miss Iris is not playing around.”

“I know. She’s the busiest of us all.”

Hoo.

Ivan let out a sigh.

“I guess we can only observe the situation for now.”

“Please be mindful of your position. It’s not like you don’t know how important you
are to us now.”

“I know.”

Ivan sighed again, appearing even more tired.

“That’s why I’m so frustrated. Because I can’t make a move even in a situation like
this.”

Were they fighting against someone?

‘Who could stand up to the current Circle?’

Was it Elliah, the only surviving Demigod?

No. Lukas knew her personality. She would not repeat the mistakes the Demigod
race had before.

Other than her… it might have been the Demons, but the most powerful Demons had
all been killed during the battle against Lord.

‘…is it internal?’

That was the worst possible conclusion.

Just as Lukas tried to focus a little more on their conversation…

Paht!

His vision was once again filled with an intense white light, and the scene of the
throne room faded. Not only that, but the voices of Ivan and Cairo faded into the
distance.

Then, the white light faded, once more revealing the room at the top of the former
Korea Headquarters’ building.

As the bright light completely disappeared, the first thing Lukas noticed was Arid’s
hunched figure.

“Cough, cough…”

It took a few moments for Arid to calm down, after which he smiled wryly at Lukas.

“…that’s the first time I’ve ever had such a difficult [Communication].”

It seemed that Arid had reached the limits of their mental power.
This was to be expected. After all, Arid had just accomplished a task that was
impossible even for Absolutes.

In all honesty, Lukas was still in disbelief.

[Thank you.]

He said these words with utmost sincerity.

This caused a faint smile to blossom on Arid’s lips.

“Did that help you to resolve your troubles a bit?”

[Right. It was very important to me.]

“Heh. That’s good.”

[Are you okay?]

“What do you mean?”

[That Communication seemed to have put your mind under a lot of pressure.]

After saying that, Lukas looked closely at Arid.

To put it bluntly, their white skin, which normally looked pure and sacred, now
resembled that of a corpse. And although the light shining from their eyes was
somewhat deceiving, Lukas could tell that they were incredibly fatigued.

“Yeah. I’ll be fine after I get some rest.”

With just those words, Lukas was able to understand just what kind of person Arid
was. They were the type of person who found satisfaction in doing good deeds.
People like this were usually well respected and carried great authority.

Nevertheless, Lukas didn’t completely believe Arid’s words.

After all, they looked like they could collapse at any moment.

(Note:
1. For those who forgot, it was one of the Circles, Gomez was the Circle Master and
he stood up to Rezil Wilsemann during the emergency Circle meeting – Season 1 –
Chapter 146 )
Arid accepted Lukas’ words and quickly fell into a deep sleep as if they had fainted.
This showed that their fatigue had reached the limit.

From the looks of it, it was possible that they’d even sleep for a day or more.

Lukas carefully tucked them into bed before returning to his room.

Then, after glaring exasperatedly at Sedi, who had once again been playing with his
body, Lukas sat in front of her.

“Sedi, what do you think the power rankings in this world currently are?”

This was something that had to be discussed in preparation for the future.

When she heard this question, Sedi immediately answered straightforwardly,

showing no signs of thinking about it deeply.

“Father, then the Demon King, then Nodiesop, then Letip, and finally me?”

Her answer was just as he guessed.

Lukas shook his head, deciding to wake her from her delusion.

“Not quite.”

“Huh?”

“Your current strength is comparable to that of the Five Dukes’…or lower.”

“…”

Those words caused Sedi’s expression to change.

She pouted her lips in displeasure, appearing unconvinced. But after a bit of thought,
her expression became a bit strange.
…She then asked in a solemn tone.

“…really?”

“Do you remember the Duke you saw in Africa?”

“Mhm.”

“You’re currently weaker than he was.”

“Mm…”

Sedi’s expression became contemplative for a moment. She never thought that he
would consider her to be so weak.

Of course, from an objective perspective, Sedi was by no means weak. At the very
least, there were few among the humans who could rival her. The only one Lukas
could think of at the moment was Kran.

Unfortunately, there were many beings in this world who seemed to push the
boundaries of mortals.

And the Five Dukes were among them.

“Not to mention the Absolutes, if you were to face off against one of the Five Dukes,
the battle would certainly last quite a while. And if you were to ever die and your
soul flowed into the afterlife of this universe, I would be unable to do anything about
it.”

“Then what’s the point? It’s not like more time will increase my chances of winning.”

“You will win in the end. I will help you.”

“…”

Those words seemed to have caused Sedi to become speechless. She stared at Lukas
with her mouth slightly ajar.

Lukas met her gaze and spoke in a solemn tone.

“Sedi, the one who survives to the end is the winner.”

This wasn’t a concept that Sedi was unfamiliar with. In fact, it was one of the many
truths that she’d come to realise back on her home planet.

There, the one who survived till the end was the final victor, the strongest being.

However, at that time, Sedi did not live her life by relying on the protection or help of
others.

That’s why it wasn’t strange when her expression faltered a bit.

“…that would be shameful.”

“That might be the case. But isn’t it better than dying?”

“…”

“Of course, if you are truly unable to accept it because of your pride. I will respect
your decision.”

Lukas understood this fact well. After all, there were many things that he would
never be able to accept.

There were times when you would be forced to make a choice and it would be better
to die. That was why Lukas would never look down on those who chose to die in
these types of situations.

Giving up your life in order to maintain your pride.

This might have appeared foolish to many people, but there were sometimes
moments when such choices had to be made. Otherwise, while their bodies might
survive, their spirits would die.

After thinking about it seriously for a moment, Sedi lifted her head.

“I will try.”

Lukas nodded.
That answer would be enough for now.

***

Every Wednesday would be the most exciting day for the members of the Church of
Eternal Life.

This was because it was none other than the regular meeting day of the church.

“Only chosen members of the church are allowed to participate in this meeting.”

Min Ha-rin looked around as Kim Min-chul said those words.

…The place had changed a lot.

Once upon a time, this place had been a training ground. It was impossible for her to
forget. After all, before she became a hunter, Min Ha-rin spent more time in this place
than in her own room.

But now, she could see nothing of its old appearance.

The training ground had been transformed into a large underground auditorium,
and the people who now filled it were not hunters but members of the Church of
Eternal Life. All of them had dazed and slightly overwhelmed expressions on their
faces, almost as if they had been drugged.

“You should be thankful to the Bishop for his generosity. If it wasn’t for his
consideration, you wouldn’t have been able to attend.”

“Yeah.”

“Right.”

Kim Min-chul’s expression, which had been serious ever since they got there, finally
softened a bit.

“And… you made a wise decision. Joining our church was the best choice you will
ever make in your life.”

“…”
There was no reason for her to respond to that, so Min Ha-rin simply nodded slightly.
Fortunately, Kim Min-chul did not point out her attitude.

Just in time, the side door to the hall opened and Slei, the Bishop of the Church of
Eternal Life, walked in.

“Ohhh…”

“Bishop.”

His appearance alone caused the faces of the believers to become filled with
reverence and excitement.

“Hmm.”

Accepting their gazes, Slei walked up to the podium that sat in the center of the
auditorium.

Then, all noise in the room disappeared in an instant as dozens of pairs of eyes
focused on Slei.

“My dear brothers and sisters, I bring you good news.”

“Good news…?”

“N-, no way…”

Slei smiled warmly at the hope and expectation that became apparent in the gazes of
the audience.

“Today, you will lay witness to a miracle firsthand.”

As he said this, the door behind the podium slowly opened and someone walked out.

In an instant, it felt like the underground auditorium had become brighter. No, it
wasn’t a feeling. It had truly become brighter.

The reason for this was an amazingly beautiful woman.

She had white skin, white eyes, and white hair. Her cold appearance that revealed no
emotion perfectly matched her startling appearance.

“Ohhh…”

As soon as this woman appeared, the people in the room chanted in adoration. Some
of them even started to sob.

One by one, they all began lowering their heads with reverent expressions.

Kim Min-chul was no exception.

“Ha-rin, be polite.”

At that moment, Min Ha-rin felt that she knew who this woman was.

“That is the Saint of our Church of Eternal Life.”

“Ahh…”

“Se-, Seung-woo!”

“Mother. Father.”

“Huk, huk…”

Nothing but sobs of joy filled the underground auditorium.

They had been reunited, seeing their most precious people again even though they
were deceased. They were face to face with the ones they thought they’d never see
again.

[Why have you become so skinny?]

[Have you been eating well?]

[Don’t cry. I’m all right. It’s very comfortable here.]

Souls.

These whitish beings, who seemed to glow mysteriously, smiled softly as they
embraced the members of the Church of Eternal Life. Naturally, there was no
physical contact. It was just that they had done the action.

Nevertheless, that was enough. There were happy smiles on the faces of the
members of the audience. It was so strong that it seemed to color the entire
underground auditorium.

For those who dearly missed their loved ones, the sight unfolding before their eyes
would naturally bring a sense of longing. A bright white glow illuminated the stained
glass, causing this place to appear like a paradise.

And yet, Min Ha-rin could not truly share in their feelings of bliss.
She couldn’t explain it, but as she looked at this sight in front of her, a feeling of
anxiety welled up in her heart.

…For some reason, it felt morally wrong.

“Sung-hyun.”

Kim Min-chul also joined the group.

In front of him stood the soul of a young man.

It was a face with which Min Ha-rin was all too familiar.

Kim Sung-hyun, Kim Min-chul’s only son.

[Father.]

Kim Sung-hyun wrapped his arms around Kim Min-chul with a warm smile.

Min Ha-rin looked away from the touching embrace between father and son.
Someone else had caught her eye.

As soon as she turned around, she realised what it was.

Two souls.

As soon as she saw their hazy faces, a strange emotion swelled in her heart.

“…Dad. Mom.”

The ones standing before her were her two parents who had died miserably. She
thought she would never see them again, and a reunion was so impossible that she’d
never even thought about it.

[Ha-rin.]

[Come here.]

They smiled brightly and spread their arms.

But Min Ha-rin didn’t approach them easily.

“Why aren’t you going to them?”

Suddenly, a beautiful voice sounded in her ear.

The voice sounded clear like a calm lake, but at the same time, it was cold.

It was the voice of the Saint.

Her cold eyes contained a faint questioning look.

“Your parents are calling for you.”

“…can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Are those really my parents?”

The answer didn’t come immediately.

Min Ha-rin turned to look at the Saint. This was so she would be able to see if there
were any changes to her expression.

But it was Min Ha-rin who was shocked when their eyes met.

There was not a hint of doubt or strangeness in the Saint’s cold eyes. She asked in a
questioning tone.

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Huh?”

“Those are your parents. If there is anyone who would be able to find something
strange about them, it would be you, not a stranger like me. Do you think there is
anyone in the world who would know a father better than his own children?”

“…that…”
No. She didn’t.

Min Ha-rin had a headache. She was so confused.

She couldn’t find any strangeness in her parents’ souls.

In fact, this was her second time meeting them.

The first time… was during her private meeting with Slei. At that time, a white light
had radiated from Slei’s body, which then transformed into what appeared to be a
stairway to heaven.

Then, her parents appeared, slowly descending the staircase.

She didn’t believe it at first. She was doubtful.

It could have been an illusion, hypnosis, or deception.

The senses of a human were not very strong, and there were countless ways to
deceive them.

Because of her doubts, Min Ha-rin thought, ‘I’m talking to people who look like my
parents.’

But within 10 minutes, she realised that they really were her parents.

They knew countless secrets and trivial things that only they, parents, and their
children could know. These people were definitely her mother and father.

Their faces, their voices, their personalities, and even their way of speaking.

Everything was just as she remembered.

“Everyone doubts us at first.”

As if recalling the distant past, the Saint spoke slowly.

“Bringing back the dead… Right. It certainly is a dubious declaration. But there is one
thing that you can trust.”
Then, she smiled like a true saint.

“There is not a single lie in my declaration to save you.”

***

Tap tap tap-

Footsteps rang out in a dark hallway.

Slei, the Bishop of the Church of Eternal Life, walked forward with a pleased
expression on his face. Today’s meeting had been extremely successful. This was
always the case, but Min Ha-rin’s presence this time made him feel better than usual.

If she maintained her current attitude, then she would become a true member of the
Church of Eternal Life within a week if not sooner.

‘This is a great place.’

He really liked this land and the people who lived here.

There was no need to care about the Demons or Demon Beasts, and there were a lot
of people who had suffered from some form of psychological trauma. At the same
time, there were quite a few outstanding talents who could be made into true
believers.

There was no better place for a religion to flourish.

‘At this rate, in just one year… ’

Perhaps the banner of the Church of Eternal life would be planted throughout this
land.

When this thought appeared in his mind, Slei felt his body burn up with excitement.
When he arrived at his destination, he paused, forcibly suppressing his emotions.

He was standing in front of a large door.

Right. The person in this room was the most important cog in his great plan.
He didn’t have to, but Slei decided to knock on the door politely.

Knock knock.

“…”

Silence.

That was strange. Normally, he would have received an answer immediately.

Slei knocked on the door again but still didn’t receive an answer.

‘Surely… ’

His heart sank as a thought appeared in his head. Without any hesitation, Slei
opened the door and went into the room. Fortunately, it was never locked.

When he entered the room, he looked around with a sharp gaze. Fortunately, the
thing he feared hadn’t happened.

Because the being he was looking for was currently sleeping on the bed.

“Arid.”

He called their name but didn’t receive a response.

Slei approached the bed, immediately noticing that Arid’s white face was much paler
than usual.

His expression gradually lost all emotion, his face becoming an eerie mask.

“Arid, wake up.”

It was only then that Arid slowly opened their eyes.

“…Grandfather?”

“You must have been very tired. I knocked many times on the door and you didn’t
notice.”
“Th-, that…”

Slei looked at the stuttering Arid before speaking coldly.

“You used your power again.”

“Ah…!”

At those words, Arid hurriedly sat up.

“I-, I’m so-…”

Paak!

Before they could finish speaking, Arid’s head snapped to the side as a reddish-
brown bruise formed on their cheek.

Slei spoke in an emotionless voice.

“Turn your head.”

“…yes.”

Enduring the throbbing pain in their cheek, Arid turned their head. Slei then slapped
their other cheek in a mechanical motion.

Turn the head, slap the cheek. This process is repeated over and over again.

The pale white skin had become red and started to swell. The inside of their mouth
appeared to have been torn as red blood slowly dribbled from their lips.

It was only then when Slei stopped swinging his hand.

“Arid.”

“Yes.”

“You are special.”

“…yes.”
“And special people have special fates.”

As he said this, Slei stroked Arid’s cheek.

“Does it hurt?”

“No.”

“Right. It shouldn’t hurt much. And even if it does, it would only be the pain of
stinging cheeks and a torn mouth. There are many people in the world who suffer
from even greater pain.”

“…”

“Never forget, Arid. Your power is not for yourself. It is for the weak and suffering.”

“Yes.”

“And Grandfather told you the most effective way to help them, didn’t he?”

“…helping the Church of Eternal Life is God’s will and the shortest way to help all of
humanity.”

As if reciting something they’d been forced to memorise countless times, Arid said
those words in a mechanical tone.

It was only then that a smile of satisfaction appeared on Slei’s face.

“You know it well… Right. Did God say anything after the prophecy?”

“He is still silent.”

“I see.”

Slei thought for a moment.

Of course, there was no reason to hurry.

“…Arid, this is the last time you use your power to help strange souls. You will save it
from now on. There will soon come a time when I will need your power.”
With those words, Slei left the room without waiting for an answer.

Arid looked at his back with empty eyes and muttered in a weak voice.

“Yes, Grandfather.”
“I never thought I’d be sent out to the outskirts.”

The Iron Duke, Ugkas, one of the Five Dukes, muttered softly to himself as he looked
around.

A few days ago, he’d received orders directly from Demon King Kasajin to come to
this place.

The orders were to capture Kran, one of the Top Three, and bring him back.

‘That guy is probably a hybrid.’

It was an experiment that Gullard had been secretly conducting some time ago to see
if it was possible to create the perfect hybrids between Demons and humans.

In truth, Ugkas was surprised that Gullard had been able to create a being like Kran,
but he was even more surprised to learn that it was Kran himself who’d kill him.

Of course, this didn’t mean that Kran had killed him on his own.

‘Lukas Trowman.’

A man with the same surname as Azazel.

Ugkas’ expression became a bit strange.

He had also been given the name ‘Ugkas Strow’, but he didn’t know much about his
surname. Azazel was the only one who knew the story behind their names.

Nevertheless, there was one thing that Ugkas did know.

And that was that Lukas Trowman was one of the Demon King’s old friends.

He couldn’t help but recall the Demon King’s other order.

‘Do not fight Lukas.’

This order heavily bruised Ugkas’ pride, but he had no choice but to accept it. If
Lukas was even half as strong as the Demon King, then he had no chance of winning.

Glug… glug.

At that moment, Ugkas’ companion made their presence known with a strange,
grotesque sound. His eyes turned to his right.

What he saw there was a monster with an appearance similar to that of a slug.

It was about 5 meters long, and the only opening on its body was an incredibly large
mouth, which was filled with large, irregularly shaped teeth.

Hundreds of tentacle-like legs protruded from all over its body, and a strange slime
seemed to ooze from its skin.

This being was Sipakna, also known as the Monster Duke.

Ugkas looked at this creature with a hint of appreciation mixed with disgust.

After all, despite its looks, Sipakna was highly intelligent and possessed the ability to
speak. Moreover, its strength was only a bit below that of the Five Dukes.

Nevertheless, this guy never revealed his intelligence in front of anyone other than
the Demon King. In truth, Ugkas had no idea why the Demon King had ordered it to
accompany him.

Ugkas was confident that he could eliminate every living being on this peninsula on
his own. Of course, this included the Top Three, Kran, who was somewhere in this
land.

Although they had the appearances of an iron statue and a monstrous slug, they
were, in the end, Dukes. Naturally, this meant that they had territories of their own,
and things that they had to do.

To make matters worse, Gullard had died and Rose was running around on her own,
disobeying the Demon King’s orders and doing as she pleased. This naturally meant
that the amount of work the other Dukes had to do was proportionally larger.
That was why Ugkas felt that it was a waste of manpower to send two Dukes
together on a mission like this.

However,

“It is the King’s orders. There must certainly be reasons that I cannot understand.”

After thinking this, Ugkas lifted his head.

There was no need to search all over this large landmass for Kran. The most efficient
way would be to get him to come to them instead. And to do this, Ugkas could think
of a very effective method.

He could feel the presence of multiple beings nearby. It was probably a human city.

“That’s Busan, isn’t it? The place where the Hunter Association Branch is located.”

He knew from experience that there were always large numbers of humans living
near the branches of the Hunter Association.

About a hundred kilometers from Busan, Ugkas had the idea to slowly walk to the
city, killing any humans he happened to meet along the way.

As he walked forward in a leisurely manner, his mouth slowly warped, creating a

hideous impression of a smile.

He was curious.

How many humans would he have to kill before Kran made his appearance?

***

“Mr. Soul is amazing.”

[What do you mean?]

“My power [Communication] grants me the ability to listen to the voice of God…”

After saying that, Arid realised that they were about to explain their abilities to the
soul in front of them.
‘Oops.’

Now that they thought about it, that wasn’t the only strange thing.

At some point, the subject of their conversations had changed.

In general, it was Arid who was the listener whenever they encountered a soul. After
all, it was their job to listen to the worries and troubles of the various souls in order
to help them shake off their lingering regrets.

But this time was different.

Somehow, before they realised, Arid became the one talking about themself and the
soul in front of them became the listener.

Why did it become like this?

The answer to that question came easily.

‘Because it’s so comfortable.’

It was strange.

They never thought that they could be so comfortable talking to a soul that they had
only met a few days ago.

In fact, until yesterday, they hadn’t been entirely sure about this feeling, but now that
they were face to face again, it was clearer.

“…in the past, I used to get tired every time I used my power. As I got used to it, that
stopped happening. But after I used my power to help you, I felt really tired. I was so
sleepy that I almost fainted.”

[…]

“The people Mr. Soul wants to see are far away.”

Lukas simply nodded, and Arid didn’t pry any further.

For some reason, they didn’t want to have any serious conversations with him. They
just wanted to enjoy the comfortable feeling for as long as possible.

Suddenly, Arid’s expression became solemn. Slei’s words resounded in their mind.

[You seem to have a lot on your mind.]

Arid trembled slightly at those words.

“…ah. You could tell?”

[Right.]

Arid raised their hand to touch their face.

Of course, that alone wasn’t enough to tell them what their expression was at that
moment.

[What’s wrong?]

It was a blunt but friendly voice. It had been a while since they had heard a voice like
that.

Arid couldn’t find the words to speak and fell silent for a while.

Come to think of it, Mr. Soul had noticed their troubles from the very first day.

‘I want to tell him.’

They wanted to say it.

It felt like if they did, then the pressure that weighed on their chest would be relieved
a bit.

But Arid simply raised their head and smiled brightly.

“No. It’s nothing.”

[…]

“Ah. It’s nothing bad. It’s just that I owe Mr. Soul an apology. So, sorry in advance.”
[Apology?]

“Yeah. I don’t think I’ll be able to send Mr. Soul to paradise right now.”

Arid tried to make their voice as bright and carefree as possible.

“Because I think I’ll be busy from now on.”

The soul, Lukas, looked silently at Arid.

That was the end of their conversation that day.

Because Arid’s expression became a bit tired and they expressed the desire to rest a
bit more. Accepting this clumsy signal, Lukas quietly returned to his room.

And the next day, when he went back to the room on the top floor of the building,
Arid was not there.

Of course, Lukas knew this even before he entered the room.

Nevertheless, the reason he went there was to track Arid’s signature with this room
as the starting point.

Arid’s aura was very unique, and he had memorised it throughout their few
encounters. At that point, Lukas was confident that he’d be able to find Arid
regardless of where they were in the base.

He followed Arid’s signature through the building and stopped as he came upon a
thick wall.

Crackle.

When he touched it with his finger, a weak spark appeared.

It seemed that a barrier that prevented the intrusion of souls had been erected in
this space behind this wall. This was a type of barrier that could only be created
through the use of excellent potions, special tools, and symbols of great power.

‘They weren’t forced to enter.’

If that was the case, then he would’ve noticed it.

Nevertheless, he wasn’t in a rush. After all, Kim Min-chul had said that they would be
meeting the Saint the next day.
After looking at the wall for a while longer, Lukas gradually faded like smoke before
he disappeared entirely.

***

From birth, they had been a child of light.

This wasn’t figurative. It was literal. When Arid was born, his body flashed with a
bright light that drove away the darkness in the room.

“Are you ready?”

Arid nodded in response to Slei’s question.

“Yes.”

“Then let’s get started.”

“Understood.”

Hup!

Arid drew a deep breath and concentrated all the power in their body. Suddenly,
their entire body began to shine with bright white light.

It was a pure and holy light that flitted around like a willful butterfly. Slei looked at
this beautiful sight with a face filled with excitement.

“Ahh…! Come here!”

As he shouted, he lifted his hands and beckoned. The light, which was floating
around, quickly flew into his body.

“Ah…! Ahh…!”

He could feel it.

The omniscient light, holier than any other power in the world, coursed through his
body. A feeling of intense satisfaction that filled Slei’s body at that moment was like a
drug-induced euphoria.
The feeling of ecstasy was like no other. The pleasure was so strong, it felt like his
brain was melting.

Saliva dripped from Slei’s open mouth. Unable to contain it, he released a pleasure-
filled cry.

“Ahhh…! Ahh…!”

He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t contain his moans.

A white-haired woman, the Saint who had appeared in the auditorium not so long
ago, also received the blessing of light.

After a while, the light that filled the room slowly faded.

“Huff, huff…”

The difference between the one who’d released the light and those who accepted it
was stark.

Arid was hunched over, panting heavily as cold sweat covered their entire body.
Their face was deathly pale, and it looked like they would collapse at any moment.

On the other hand, Slei and the Saint appeared to be filled with energy. There were
even dazed smiles on their lips as they basked in the afterglow of the experience.

“Hahaha!”

Slei let out a burst of contented laughter.

It was done. Now, he could once again clearly hear the voice of God, which had begun
to fade.

His eyes turned to Arid.

“Well done, Arid. I have prepared a place for you to rest. Go and take a break there.”

“…yes.”

Arid mumbled softly before staggering out of the room.

The Saint, who watched him leave with cold eyes, opened her mouth.

“That child looks more tired than usual.”

“It seems that they used their power to help evil spirits again.”

“In that regard, they’re just like their mother.”

A strange emotion seemed to flash in the Saint’s eyes for a moment.

“I’ve already warned them. It won’t happen again.”

“Then I’m relieved.”

“…now that our power has been recharged, we will be able to hear the voice of God
once again.”

“Will you ask about that Absolute existence again?”

Slei nodded.

“I didn’t have enough power last time, so I was unable to hear the answer clearly… if
my predictions are correct, then the Absolute will be a hindrance to our plan.”

The Saint raised an eyebrow slightly as she looked at him.

“You look quite relaxed even while saying that. Do you have a plan?”

“Even if they are an Absolute or whatever, in the end, they are still God’s
subordinate.”

With the power of Communication that Slei borrowed from Arid, he was able to
receive knowledge that would usually not be available to mortals.

And that was how he knew.

What kind of beings Absolutes were, what their goals were, and what kind of ideals
they had.

“They are just the servants of God, like us. With the exception of the ‘four great
beings’.”

Slei was not too familiar with the ‘four great beings’, but he at least knew that they
were so powerful that they could not take even a single step into a small universe
like this one for fear of destroying it. In other words, they were nothing like the
Absolute who would be coming to Korea soon.

“While I’m at it, I think it would be good to find out what is happening in this land. I
will need you to assist me.”

“Understood.”

At those words, the Saint, no, Slei’s wife, Reika, nodded and held his hand, lending
her power to Slei, who had begun to use Communication.

Chtcht.

Waves of light began to swirl around Slei, looking like a huge storm.

Before he knew it, Slei felt his consciousness rise up out of his body. He felt himself
going higher into the air, higher than the buildings, higher than the mountains,
higher than the clouds, higher than the sky.

Before long, his consciousness had arrived in space.

‘Ah… ’

And there, he saw God.

The being who held all of the knowledge in the universe.

Well, he couldn’t see him, for after all, it wasn’t a concept that could be seen in the
first place. Slei understood that. Even if he could break free of his mortal constraints,
he would not be able to change that.

Without hesitating any further, Slei threw himself into the sea of knowledge.

Brr.

He felt his consciousness shake as a great deal of knowledge rushed directly into his
brain. He knew that if he lost focus here, his ego would be swept away and he would
become one with the sea of knowledge.

Fortunately, he had Arid’s power and a little trick of his own to help him.

‘Teach me, God.’

He whispered inwardly.

Paht.

Slei’s consciousness returned to his body. He stumbled heavily but was able to
remain on his feet with Reika’s support.

“How was it?”

“…there is trouble.”

“Are the Absolutes as troublesome as we expected?”

“It’s not that. Members of the Five Dukes are on their way here.”

“The Five Dukes?”

It was only two words, but it caused Reika’s eyes to light up.

“That’s good. It would be a great opportunity for us to spread the name of our
Church of Eternal Life. With our current power, we should be able to defeat one of
the Five Dukes without much issue.”

“The Five Dukes are not simple opponents. More importantly, it’s not just one of
them.”

“Huh?”

“Two of the Five Dukes are on their way here.”

When she heard that, Reika’s expression became serious.

“Two of them?… Why are they coming here?”

“I think they’re looking for someone… I’m not too sure about the details. In any
cause, that’s not the point.”

Slei stroked his chin for a moment.

In a short while, the entirety of Busan, no, the entirety of the Korean Peninsula
would fall under the control of their Church of Eternal Life.

It would be a shame for them to back down like this.

“It seems that we will have to change our plans a bit.”

After pondering for a moment, Slei came to a decision.

“Gather all of the believers who were once hunters.”

***

Around dawn, before the sun had even risen, Kim Min-chul came to them.

“I’m sorry for coming to you so early in the morning, Mr. Frey.”

He spoke in a whispering tone.

This must have been in consideration of Sedi, who was currently sleeping on the bed
without a care in the world. Lukas looked down at her face for a moment before
muttering in a similarly low voice,

“It’s fine.”

“…there is an emergency meeting being held by the church today. If you don’t mind,
why don’t we go see the Saint now?”

There was no reason for him to refuse. The sooner they met, the better.

When Lukas nodded, Kim Min-chul turned around without any further ado.
“Follow me.”

As he followed Kim Min-chul, Lukas looked around the base. It was before dawn, a
time that couldn’t even be called the start of the day, but the inside of the base was
already bustling with activity.

The members of the Church of Eternal Life moved around busily while whispering
amongst themselves.

“Is something wrong?”

“I suppose it would be best to inform you. After all, it would be best if Mr. Frey left
immediately after meeting the Saint.”

Kim Min-chul paused for a moment before continuing.

“…Because members of the Five Dukes are on their way here.”

“…the Five Dukes?”

When Lukas mumbled these words in a surprised voice, Kim Min-chul nodded as if
he’d expected such a reaction.

“It’s understandable that you don’t immediately believe me. But this was said to us
by the Bishop himself, so I am certain that it is not false. He said that they would
enter Busan as early as tomorrow morning or as late as tomorrow night.”

“…”

Lukas stopped walking.

Realising this, Kim Min-chul, who was walking ahead of him, also stopped and
turned back to look at him.

“Many people will die.”

“Perhaps.”

“But Mr. Kim Min-chul still looks calm.”

“That’s because this is a moment we have been waiting for for a very long time.”

“…what do you mean?”

When Lukas asked that, all he received was a short laugh before Kim Min-chul
turned around and resumed walking.

“We should hurry. Time is of the essence, after all.”

Then, saying no more, his steps sped up as he led Lukas to their destination. Finally,
after a short while, they stopped in front of a large door.

“We’re here.”

“The Saint is in this room?”

“Yes.”

Lukas turned to look at the door again.

…It was strange. He couldn’t feel Arid’s unique aura anywhere nearby.

That fact alone caused Lukas’ expression to become cold. Kim Min-chul, who was
bowing his head at the time, didn’t realise this.

Click.

Lukas entered the room.

Inside the room was a table that was neither too large nor too small and a few chairs.
A figure sat in the chair that faced the door.

When she saw him enter, the white-haired woman who sat at the table opened her
mouth and spoke with a calm voice.

“Is it you? The hunter who said they wanted to see me?”

“See you?”

At those words, Reika nodded her head.

“That’s right. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am the Saint of the Church of Eternal Life.”

“…”

Lukas’ mouth twisted slightly at her self-introduction.

“Two of the Five Dukes are coming to Busan.”

“…”

Early in the morning, before the sun had even risen, the Bishop of the Church of
Eternal Life delivered the news.

‘…I was unable to sleep for most of the night, so it’s like I’m half awake.’

Had she simply heard incorrectly.?

Min Ha-rin, who had a slightly dazed expression, realised that she was simply trying
to escape reality, so she went to the sink to splash water on her face, hoping it would
help her wake up.

Splash.

When the cold water hit her face, she felt her mind clear up a bit.

The Five Dukes.

She was well aware of the weight of those words.

After all, she was one of the few hunters who had personally witnessed the power of
a Demon Duke. A Duke was a walking disaster. They were comparable to disasters
like typhoons, earthquakes, or tsunamis.

The Five Dukes was said to be a level above normal Dukes, and yet, not one but two
of them were on their way?

When faced with such a crisis, it would be normal to feel fearful and contemplate
running away, but she didn’t think about that.

After all, it was none other than Lukas who had accompanied her there. Min Ha-rin
had learned that her Master had already slain one of the Five Dukes. Surprisingly,
Lukas had been able to accomplish a task that no one could even imagine without a
single scratch.

‘Besides… Sedi is also really strong.’

Although she would never show it in front of her, Min Ha-rin acknowledged Sedi’s
transcendent strength.

This was only natural. She’d personally seen her play around with the veteran
hunters back in America.

It also occurred to that she might have been an old monster who was many times
older than her appearance. Even though she looked like a child and also acted like
one sometimes, her strength made her suspicious.

There was also the Saint, the Bishop of the Church of Eternal Life, and all of the
believers who used to be hunters on standby. The two Dukes would certainly be
fearsome, but she felt that it would be possible to eliminate them.

However, there was something else that made Min Ha-rin feel uneasy.

‘I don’t know what the hell I want to do.’

Creak-

She turned off the faucet.

Min Ha-rin looked at herself in the mirror. She could see the water dripping down
her face, the dark bags under her eyes, her dry lips, and her flaky skin.

It was just a haggard face in general. But she couldn’t help it. She had been having
trouble sleeping.

The Church of Eternal Life.

The organisation that had completely devoured the Korea Branch of the Hunter
Association down to the bones.

The ones who had let her meet her parents’ souls.
The ones who were training her younger siblings without her knowledge.

She didn’t know how she felt about them. Her mind was a tangled mess.

And yet, before she could even begin to organise her thoughts, the Five Dukes had
made an appearance.

“Huu.”

Min Ha-rin shook her head with a sigh.

This wasn’t the time to dwell on her troubles. A believer had just delivered some
news to her.

There would be an emergency meeting in the morning and she was to be a

participant.

She had been puzzled at first but soon nodded her head in understanding when she
learned that it was the believers who used to be hunters that were called.

Perhaps they were thinking of exchanging opinions on how they should deal with
the imminent arrival of the two Dukes as hunters were professionals when it came to
facing Demons.

The meeting place was the underground auditorium that she’d gone to before. It
seemed that space was used for multiple purposes.

When Min Ha-rin stepped into the auditorium, there were already many people
there.

She also saw a few familiar faces.

No. It wasn’t a few.

‘They said that they would only be gathering the hunters.’

It took a while for her to realise because their clothing was different from what she
remembered, but most of the believers there were Korean hunters.

It was the first time in many years that she was seeing some of the people here.
In a normal situation, she would have happily approached them, held their hands,
and reminisced.

But it was hard now.

This was because the entire underground auditorium was filled with a strangely
heated atmosphere.

It felt like they were all excited, and they couldn’t contain their excitement.

…No. It wasn’t just a feeling. They were genuinely excited.

‘But why?’

The approach of two of the Five Dukes was not something she’d expected to feel
excited about. Min Ha-rin hesitated for a moment before approaching someone she
knew.

“Hello.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, it’s Ha-rin. Long time no see.”

They smiled and greeted her.

Min Ha-rin was slightly surprised. After all, the reunion was less heartfelt than she
expected.

This wasn’t what she expected from a reunion after several years. It felt like they
were meeting after only separating just yesterday.

It wasn’t just them.

Min Ha-rin also treated them much more coldly than usual. Probably because of her
experience with Kim Min-chul.

“Did you also join the church?”

“Haha. That’s right. Ha-rin, you should too. I’m sure that you’d be very helpful to the
Bishop, the Saint, and the entire Church of Eternal Life.”

The person she was talking to was someone Min Ha-rin had known to be a strict
atheist.

“…did you hear that members of the Five Dukes are on their way?”

“What a strange thing to say.”

“Don’t you know that that’s why we’re all gathered here?”

They all spoke as if it was an insignificant issue.

Looking at their nonchalance, Min Ha-rin could only think of one conclusion.

“Have you guys heard of countermeasures against them?”

“…”

The others didn’t answer this question. Instead, they simply exchanged glances with
strange smiles on their lips.

At that moment, the door to the hall opened and Bishop Slei walked out.

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel that the brilliance which surrounded his body had
become a bit brighter. He also had a strange smile on his lips, similar to the other
believers’. What was strange was that he now carried a staff in his hand.

Slei walked up to a table that had been placed in the center of the room. Despite the
emergency situation, he was exceptionally calm. Then, he took a relaxed gaze at the
audience.

When his eyes met Min Ha-rin’s, they curved up slightly.

Min Ha-rin didn’t have any ill will towards this old man. She also didn’t think that the
doctrine he preached was bad either.

To be with your loved ones forever. Wasn’t that something every human longed for?

But at that moment, when their eyes met, Min Ha-rin had an extreme feeling of
discomfort and unconsciously shuddered. It felt as though a bug had just crawled
down her spine.

“It looks like everyone is here. Hmm. First of all, I’d like to say a brief word of thanks
to all of you for gathering here so early in the morning. Now then, let’s get down to
business.”

Tak.

Slei tapped his staff against the floor. The sound wasn’t very loud, but it immediately
caused the atmosphere of the room to shift.

“Two of the Five Dukes are coming here.”

He slowly looked around before continuing.

“I don’t know what their goal is. But they are destroying every city in their path.
Many people have already died by their hands. And it’s unlikely that their destructive
attitude will change when they arrive at Busan.”

Min Ha-rin focused on Slei’s voice. She felt that she would be able to hear it now.

Just why Slei and the other believers of the Church of Eternal Life were so relaxed.

“I need you all to stop them.”

“…”

She thought that Slei would mention some kind of plan afterward, but he didn’t say
anything more, and instead smiled warmly.

This couldn’t be it. Min Ha-rin tried to suppress the creeping anxiety that welled up
in her heart at that moment.

If.

If they were to face the two Dukes like this without any countermeasures in place, it
would be no different from suicide.

It was at that moment.

“Yes, sir!”

“Eternal Life with the ones you love!”

“Long live the Church of Eternal Life!”

Shouts erupted one after the other. The temperature in the room seemed to rise
several degrees in an instant. This was because of the heat that was erupting from
the believers’ bodies.

This sight made Min Ha-rin speechless.

She looked around. At the strange expressions of the believers as they expressed
their excitement…

It gave her goosebumps.

It was only then when she realised where the heat came from.

Distorted faith. Fanatic and misguided beliefs burned in their eyes like flames.

‘This isn’t… ’

Just as Min Ha-rin bit her lip and decided to say something…

“Isn’t that just ordering them to die?”

The door suddenly opened, and someone walked in.

It was the person Min Ha-rin had been looking for since she’d arrived at the branch
headquarters.

Slei smirked slightly.

“Branch President Jung Ho-min.”

“Bishop Slei, you called for all hunters, so why didn’t you call for me too?”
A middle-aged man stood in the doorway of the auditorium with a harsh expression
on his face.

It was Jung Ho-min, the current President of the Korea Branch of the Hunter
Association.

Nevertheless, it took Min Ha-rin a few moments to recognise him. This was because
his appearance was very different from the last time she saw him.

Before, he always had a neat, sharp appearance and a relaxed expression. Even
though they were of different genders, she’d always felt that she’d like to be like him
when she grew up.

But he had changed greatly.

His eyes were bloodshot, and a beard spread messily over his face. Compared to his
powerful and confident appearance of the past, he now looked like a small,
powerless old man.

“I don’t remember inviting you in.”

“This is the Korea Branch Headquarters, and I am the Branch President. There is no
place here that I cannot enter.”

“It seems you’re still trapped in your delusions of the past. Please try to accept it.
This place is no longer the Korea Branch of the Hunter Association. It is the Church
of Eternal Life.”

“Bullshit.”

Crunch.

Jung Ho-min grit his teeth as he looked around fiercely.

“Everyone, snap out of it! How long will you allow yourselves to be deluded by this
madman’s words?”

“…”

His voice cracked with desperation.

However, the reactions he received from those around him were cold. It was only
then Min Ha-rin understood that the people around her were no longer hunters of
the Korea Branch. Instead, they were believers of the Church of Eternal Life.

Unfortunately, Jung Ho-min, who used to be in charge of this, could not see that. Or
maybe he just couldn’t accept it.

“Do you all think it’s right to call upon the dead over and over and make them come
back to this world…?! Don’t any of you find it strange?”

“Take him away.”

Slei said these words in a blunt tone.

At those words, some of the believers in the hall immediately stepped forward and
grabbed his arms.

“Let go of me!”

Jung Ho-min resisted as much as he could, but it was to no avail. The strong Branch
President that Min Ha-rin remembered was nowhere to be seen. Nevertheless, he
refused to give up easily and flailed wildly.

The expression of one of the believers holding him became filled with annoyance.
They clenched their fist before punching him in the stomach.

“Huk…”

Jung Ho-min seemed to have not expected the sudden attack. His eyes rolled up in
his head as he slumped in his captors’ arms.

The moment she saw that Min Ha-rin stopped hesitating.

Taht.
With a step, she appeared in front of them. Then, Min Ha-rin easily subdued the two
believers who were holding Jung Ho-min up by his arms.

She hit one in the back of the head and the other in the stomach.

“…!”

Both of them collapsed without being able to retaliate.

Her attacks had been clean without any openings. Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel
that it was fortunate she hadn’t neglected her physical training after becoming a
Wizard. She also felt grateful for the practical experience her spars with Vincent had
given her.

“Ha-, Ha-rin?”

Jung Ho-min called out in a slightly dazed voice.

Min Ha-rin didn’t respond. Her skin tingled because of the sharp gazes from the
crowd of believers. A heavy silence filled the room.

“What are you doing?”

It was Slei who spoke for them.

Nevertheless, Min Ha-rin ignored him, her gaze focused on the believers staring at
her.

“The Demon Dukes are powerful. Even if all of you were to fight, you would die
without being able to touch even a single hair. Are you going to obey those orders?”

“Of course we will.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you hear the doctrine of our Church of Eternal Life, too?”

Min Ha-rin frowned at those words.

“Eternal Life with the ones you love.”

“The body is a cage, and the soul is the source. It is only by dying that we can be freed
and be qualified to go to paradise.”

“Who told you that?”

“The Bishop. And our dead loved ones.”

“…that’s not possible. If they were really your family, they wouldn’t wish for your
death.”

Min Ha-rin chuckled derisively.

“Bishop Slei, are you also going to fight with them?”

She no longer used honorifics. Because she didn’t feel the need to anymore. Slei
didn’t seem to care about Min Ha-rin’s change of tone.

“I still have work to do in this land. So I will need to delay my trip to paradise a little
while longer.”

The words were said decisively.

Min Ha-rin understood then.

Right, it seemed that her hunch at the beginning was correct.

At first, she thought that Slei knew just how powerful Lukas and Sedi were, and he
hoped to rely on them to deal with the approaching Five Dukes…

After all, he seemed to know about Lukas during their first meeting.

But that wasn’t the case.

This old man in front of her was ordering these people to commit suicide.

“As I expected, you really are a cult leader.”

“How dare you say that about the Bishop…?!”

“How can you say that after personally witnessing the miracles?”
Those who had greeted Min Ha-rin with smiles at the beginning were now staring at
her with gazes filled with killing intent. Those gazes seemed to bring her back to her
senses.

It was truly strange.

She’d acted purely out of anger.

Anger at the fact that Jung Ho-min, the reliable and powerful Branch President
whom she’d looked up to in the past, was being assaulted while he was in a
weakened state. At that time, she’d acted without thinking about the future
consequences.

Right. Without thinking about the future. Without thinking about anything at all.

Her mind had been strangely clear at that moment.

The fog that had filled her head ever since she’d returned seemed to have cleared up
in an instant.

“Haha.”

Min Ha-rin let out a clear, refreshed laugh.

She was still tired, she still felt unwell, and this situation was the worst, but her mind
was extremely clear.

She could tell why. It was simple.

She was finally doing what she thought was right. Therefore, all of her reluctance
and hesitation disappeared.

At that moment, Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel that she should’ve done this
sooner.

“…how unfortunate. I thought you could become a good believer. But I suppose that
is impossible now. So what will you do now? Do you intend to fight all of us on your
own? Or do you believe that your Master, who isn’t here, will be able to save you?”

When Min Ha-rin didn’t respond, Slei smiled.

“Absolute. Although the title is grand, they aren’t anything special. Your Master won’t
be able to come here.”

By now, he should have been face to face with the Saint, Reika.

Even if he noticed what was happening and tried to come here, Reika would stop
him. Slei didn’t think that he would be able to force his way past her. Unlike himself,
who focused on Communication, Reika’s power was purely focused on combat.

That was why Slei could speak with such confidence.

Unfortunately, those words offended a certain former Absolute.

“You’re really good at spouting bullshit, old man.”

At that moment, a clear voice rang out in the auditorium.

Those rude words caused all of the believers in the auditorium to turn around with
displeased expressions. But their expressions all became slightly strange when they
saw the owner of the voice.

It was a young, black-haired girl who seemed exceptionally small at that moment.

“What’s going on? Who is this brat?”

“Right, she’s not a believer. How did you get in here, kid?”

“Shut up.”

Crunch.

“Kuk!”

“Urk!”

The jaws of the two people who spoke were broken in an instant. They screamed in
pain and collapsed on the spot.

“Huh?”
“Wh-, what’s going on?”

An uproar filled the room as the believers all stared in disbelief.

Slei’s expression hardened.

This was because even he had also been unable to see what just happened.

“Ah…!”

Among those in the room, Min Ha-rin was the only one who seemed happy at the
girl’s appearance.

With a sadistic smile on her face, Sedi’s gaze caught Slei’s.

“Who isn’t anything special?”

“Would you like some tea?”

“No thanks.”

Reika nodded before pouring some tea for herself.

When the cup was about half full, Lukas opened his mouth.

“You created a very interesting religion.”

“…”

At those words, the tea stopped flowing into the cup.

“That’s quite rude, isn’t it? We didn’t create this religious organisation for fun. How
could you call it ‘interesting’?”

After saying those words with a smile, she resumed pouring her tea. This would
normally give someone a gracious and polite impression of her, but it only filled
Lukas, who could see her true nature, with disgust.

His lips twisted subconsciously.

“Well. I think ‘funny’ would be a more appropriate expression.”

“…”

It was only then when the smile disappeared from Reika’s lips. With a cold glint in
her eyes, she opened her mouth.

“You’re intentionally being rude. What do you know about our Church of Eternal
Life?”

“I’m not interested in finding out.”

Lukas said those words in a cold voice, but Reika didn’t panic.

If the man in front of her was who she thought he was, then this attitude was to be
expected.

“However, by imitating souls, you are disrespecting the dead. In my opinion, it is an

act that is a lot worse than spitting on a grave or punching a corpse.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“At your level, it is impossible for you to interact with the afterlife. The power of
Communication is great, but its essence is in the name ‘Communication’. Even at its
best, it would be impossible for you to call souls from the afterlife and have them
descend upon the mortal world once again. However, you make it a practice to show
your believers their dead loved ones… And there is only one way that is possible.”

“…”

“You copied the memories and personalities of the dead.”

Reika was completely expressionless at that moment. Coupled with her unrealistic
appearance, this caused her to look like a doll.

She slowly picked up the teacup in front of her, intending to take a sip.

ButLukas took this opportunity to speak in a low voice.

“Put your hand down. I’m talking.”

“…”

Reika’s movements froze at those words. This wasn’t because she had listened to his
words. Instead, it was as though Lukas’ words were a command that she had no
choice but to follow. As though the language itself had power.

Chtcht-

A white glow flickered in his eyes like an electric current.

This light reminded her of Arid’s eyes, but it seemed to contain more mysterious and
dangerous energy.

‘What did he do… to me…?’

Looking at Reika, who was gritting her teeth as she tried to move, Lukas continued.

“Copying personalities and memories, things necessary to imitate a soul, wouldn’t be

hard with the power of [Communication]. That is already an absurd action in the
first place, but you weren’t satisfied with that. Instead, you looked for mediums to
contain the imitation souls…”

Crack-

The teacup in her hand cracked and shattered, spilling hot tea all over Reika’s hand,
as well as the table.

She wanted to scream at the sudden heat, but Lukas wouldn’t even let her do that.

“So you turned your sights on the wandering souls who had yet to find peace.”

They overwrote the personalities of those wandering souls and imprinted their
imitations instead.

That was the true reason why Lukas was so angry.

“You captured them and forcefully overlaid your copies onto them. As they were
weak, they had no way to resist you. Those confused wandering souls could only
helplessly lose their consciousness. It can’t even be called death.”

It was something far more terrible than that.

It was then.

Bang!

A bright flash of light exploded around Reika’s body. The table was sent flying, and
the entire room began to vibrate loudly.

With a cold expression on her face, she had managed to break free from Lukas’
restraints.
“Do you know why the wandering souls are called wandering souls? It’s because they
are unable to let go of their lingering feelings, which causes them to be unable to
ascend to paradise.”

That was why Reika didn’t feel guilty.

Because she did the right thing.

No. Rather…

“They should be grateful that we give them new identities. Thanks to the overlaying
personality, they can feel happiness and satisfaction that they would never be able to
experience while wandering the world.”

Feel happiness and satisfaction.

Those words weren’t wrong.

Because of the overlaying personalities, they were able to feel the happiness of
reuniting with their families. But it was only false happiness.

They were just being deceived. In truth, they didn’t have any relationship with the
people they met. Nevertheless, the wandering souls felt happiness as though they
had been reunited with their real family. And they gratefully bowed their heads to
the Church of Eternal Life, who gave them the opportunity.

They didn’t know that those were not their true feelings. That their existence in itself
was a lie.

They didn’t know that they had been cut off from an important cycle.

From life to death. Afterward, they would pass through the afterlife before finally
being reincarnated.

This was something that every human was entitled to.

And that was why Lukas hated them.

Regardless of whether they had been good or bad, one should never forget the path
that one walked.
The righteous had the right to feel pleased with their right actions.

The wrongdoers had the right to repent and atone for their wrongdoings.

And yet, those rights were being stripped away by the humans in front of him. In
order to pursue their own goals, they had done something that should never be
done.

They had erased human lives.

Boom!

A large explosion sounded beneath them. It sounded like it came from underground.
The entire building shook as if there was an earthquake.

A smile appeared on Reika’s lips.

“It seems there is a bit of a commotion downstairs.”

“…”

“I know what you are. Absolute.”

“You know who I am?”

“Huhu, did you think I wouldn’t know?”

Reika chuckled. After all, she was proud that there were things this cosmic being in
front of her didn’t know.

Right. It was as Slei said.

Unlike their seemingly grand name, they were nothing more than servants of God
who were tasked with maintaining balance and harmony.

“Absolutes. The only beings who can travel between the universes that are more
numerous than the stars in the sky… Huhu! That is a great truth that most mortals
are unable to know, but we can. For we can communicate with God. No secrets can
escape our eyes.”
Lukas raised an eyebrow.

“It’s not your power. It is something you stole from that child.”

He knew even that?

But even when that secret was revealed, Reika retained her proud attitude.

“Arid. That is too much power for a child. Instead, meeting us was that child’s great
fortune. Because we know the most effective way to make use of that gift!”

“You’re mistaken. That child doesn’t use his power recklessly because he knows just
how dangerous his abilities are. But maybe you’re right. Maybe you do know how to
use it more effectively.”

At that moment, the pleased expression on Reika’s face disappeared.

“After all, with your wisdom, you used most of your power to keep your young
appearance instead of the way it was intended.”

“…what the hell are you…”

“Now, I get it. You seem to know quite a bit about Absolutes, but your knowledge is
still lacking. You’re not actually communicating with God. You’re just one-sidedly
asking for information from a void space somewhere in the universe.”

In other words, they were communicating with something known as the Akashic
Records.

It was a Great Library of semi-transcendent information that recorded all

information in the universe.

Of course, Lukas knew about it.

Unfortunately, despite its reputation, not everything was recorded in that library of
information.

Rather than grand names like the Akashic Records or Great Library, Absolutes
prefered to call it ‘God’s Diary’.
So what they thought was the voice of God was simply, actually just God’s diary.

Of course, that child, Arid, would eventually be able to communicate directly with
God. But at his current level, that was still impossible.

Naturally, there was no way Slei and Reika would be able to do something that even
the true owner of the power of Communication couldn’t.

That was why Lukas couldn’t help but wonder why they were so proud.

Perhaps they had managed to learn about Absolutes from the answer to one of their
questions.

Perhaps.

They had heard about Lukas.

That he was the only Absolute who was friendly to humans.

After all, that was the only thing that could explain their strange confidence.

Lukas felt pure anger at that moment.

Everything he’d learned made him feel disgusted and nauseous.

And yet, there was one thing that made him feel the worst.

That was the fact that this human in front of him didn’t seem to understand what
she’d done wrong.

“Do you think it’s impressive that you managed to obtain fragmented information
about my identity, origins, or goals…? It’s not. All you need to know is that right now,
I am truly disgusted by you.”

Suddenly, Reika found it hard to breathe.

And indescribable tightness seemed to fill her chest at that moment.

“Even the dumbest of wild beasts know fear. At least they know to be wary of
predators. How about you?”
Lukas’ voice was filled with rage.

“Are your senses as good as a beast’s?”

Bang!

With a loud sound, the body of one of the believers collided heavily with the wall.
They collapsed to the ground, covered in blood.

Min Ha-rin cried out in surprise.

“Did you kill him?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care.”

“Don’t do that. These people were led astray.”

“Ha. Ignorance is a sin in itself. Do you think these people are innocent?”

Min Ha-rin had no comeback for that harsh comment.

Sedi turned to her and rolled her eyes.

“You’re annoying. Get out.”

“I want to stay here.”

As she said that, Min Ha-rin looked around the room.

“I’ve known everyone here since I was a child.”

“So what? You want to see if I kill them or not?”

“…I want to convince you not to.”

“I don’t have time for that.”

“No, you do. You just have to deal with Bishop Slei first.”
Sedi frowned at that.

“Are you saying that you’re going to take on all of these people on your own while I
deal with the old man?”

When Min Ha-rin nodded, she let out a cold snort.

“Your self-awareness sucks. You’re nowhere near strong enough to do something like
that.”

Although Sedi said this in a blunt tone, it was the truth.

Min Ha-rin could certainly be considered strong. It wouldn’t be a problem even if she
had to face dozens of opponents at the same time. But the dozens of believers in this
room were all former hunters.

More importantly, Min Ha-rin didn’t seem to want to kill them or even injure them
too badly. It was clear that she wanted to simply subdue them at most.

And to fight with such a mindset was no different from suicide.

Nevertheless…

“I would like to try anyway.”

Sedi turned to look at Min Ha-rin, a sneer spreading across her lips.

“Do you think that I’ll save you?”

“No. I know that you don’t care if I die or not.”

Min Ha-rin knew this to be true. Sedi wouldn’t make a move even if she was on the
verge of death.

Of course, this wasn’t because of some petty reason like the childish squabbles
between them.

Instead, it was simply because Sedi didn’t agree with Lukas’ approach.

Lukas’ opponents, Nodiesop, Letip, and the Demon King, were all extremely strong.
None of them were easy to handle.

And frankly speaking, when the time came to finally deal with them, Min Ha-rin
would not be able to help in any way. Weaklings like her were not even worth
mentioning.

That was why she couldn’t understand Lukas’ reason for taking these weak humans
as his disciples. Even if they had potential, it would take much too long for them to
be useful.

In her opinion, the picture that Lukas was painting was far too large.

‘If this brat dies while doing what she wants, maybe Father will change his mind.’

After having this thought, Sedi smiled brightly at Min Ha-rin.

“Try your best!”

Then, she walked towards Slei without waiting for a response. Without knowing her
objective, the believers reached out to stop her again.

Annoyed, Sedi swung her little fists at them, immediately putting them in a near-
death state. But even after seeing this, the believers didn’t stop rushing towards her
until Slei stopped them.

“Stop.”

Immediately after she said those words, the believers stopped moving and simply
stared at Sedi. Thanks to that, she was able to leisurely walk up and stand in front of
Slei.

Sedi looked up at him, confusion clear in her eyes.

“I don’t understand how a being as weak as you knows about Absolutes. It shouldn’t
be accessible to you.”

“Aren’t you the same? You’re not an Absolute, but you know about them. Was it that
man who told you?”

“Don’t put me on the same level as you.”

Sedi growled those words in a fierce tone, the aura that began to radiate from her
body causing Slei’s palms to be covered in sweat.

‘…she certainly is strong.’

She looked like a cute little girl, but she was more powerful than any human he’d
ever seen.

Min Ha-rin was also standing behind her.

Against this many believers, even a veteran hunter would have to struggle, and yet,
she made it look easy.

Slei didn’t know exactly where this powerful person came from, but he decided to try
and avert the crisis first.

“I would like to propose something.”

“If you don’t spout any bullshit about your church or anything like that, I’ll listen to
what you have to say.”

“There’s no reason for you to be so hostile to me. As long as you cooperate with me, I
can help you reunite with those you lost.”

“…old fart.”

For a moment, Slei didn’t realise those insulting words were directed at him.

Of course, he knew that there was no other person in this room to whom it could be
used to refer. After all, objectively speaking, he was also aware of the fact that he was
quite ugly and old.

Nevertheless, he took some time to react because no one had ever dared to say such
rude words to his face.

“Huhu.”

Slei chuckled.

He was naturally displeased. After all, he had never felt so disrespected in all his life.
Nevertheless, the reason he laughed was because he couldn’t show that displeasure
in the presence of the believers. Especially to a being with a child-like appearance.

“I must say. I hate trash like you. If this was in the past, I would have killed you the
moment you opened your mouth.”

“That’s a rather radical statement…”

“But my Father is different. I’m not sure why, but he always hesitates when it comes
to killing trash like you. Maybe I will be the same eventually…”

Shortly after her voice trailed off, Sedi’s figure disappeared.

Just as Slei blinked in surprise.

Paak!

He felt an intense pain in his stomach. It was almost as if his abdomen had been
pierced through. Unable to withstand the force of the blow, his body flew through the
air before crashing into a wall.

“Hup!”

Sedi caught the staff that Slei dropped before inspecting it.

“Wow.”

She didn’t know what material it was made from, but it was surprisingly durable.
More importantly, the length was just right. Of course, it could never compare to her
soul weapon, but it would do nicely. For now, at least.

“Not bad.”

Whoosh. Whoosh.

Sedi swung the staff a few times before taking a stance.

The tip of the staff was pointed towards Slei, who was slowly rising from a cloud of
dust. He spat out a mouthful of blood as he stared at her with bloodshot eyes.
Boom!

Then, the sound of a huge explosion came from above them.

Sedi glanced upwards.

“Ah… Forget what I just said.”

Then, a bright smile stretched across her face.

“It seems that you guys have managed to piss my Father off somehow. So I’d advise
you to start praying. Pray that his anger will have subsided a little by the time he gets
here.”
The Church of Eternal Life was an emerging religion that was gradually gaining
prominence throughout the world.

In fact, it was the most prominent religion in Australia, where it devoted most of its
efforts and where it remained the longest. The same could be said for Europe, where
it was slowly expanding its influence.

After ‘conquering’ these two regions, the Church of Eternal Life set its sights on Asia.

In fact, it didn’t have much of a choice. No matter how ambitious Slei was, he knew
that it would only be crazy to set his sights on North America at that point.

Asia.

In particular, Slei focused on the Korean Peninsula.

He felt that it would be easy to attract believers there because it had suffered great
damage from the Demons in the past and it was neglected by the Hunter Association.
This meant that it would serve as the perfect foothold to support their expansion
into China, which was considered the center of Asia.

And his expectations were on point.

Most of the citizens of Korea were unable to let go of their feelings of loss, which
allowed Slei to capture their hearts by showing them miracles.

Everything had been going according to plan.

Paak!

Slei rolled across the ground once again. He rolled a few times before finally
springing to his feet.

He didn’t even see Sedi.

Puk.

“U-. urk…”

All he felt was the pain in his side before he was sent flying through the air once
again. His body crashed into a wall like a meteor.

The walls of the auditorium, which had once been a training ground for hunters and
could withstand the strikes of multiple missiles, were now covered in cracks because
of the continuous impacts.

“Huk…”

Slei coughed up a mouthful of blood, his mind racing.

She was strong.

She was too strong.

‘She’s not an Absolute or a Demon… So how…?’

This question lingered in his mind.

At the same time, he was filled with regrets.

If the three Vice Bishops who led each region… No, if even two of them had been
there, they would have been able to deal with the monstrous little bitch.

Taht.

Sedi didn’t give Slei the chance to think. Once again, she kicked off from the ground
and quickly closed the distance between them.

However, this time, Slei was able to react in time. He barely raised his right hand,
blocking the blow from his staff, which was now in Sedi’s hands.

Crack!

But just because he’d managed to successfully block the attack didn’t mean he had
been able to negate the damage.
The bones of his right hand were smashed to bits as soon as they came into contact
with the staff.

Nevertheless, Slei used his building rage to suppress his pain as he grabbed the staff.
His eyes were filled with venom.

“This is mine!”

“Fuck you.”

As she muttered in a cynical tone, Sedi stretched out her left hand. Her dainty white
hand formed the shape of a blade as it slid across Slei’s forearm.

Shuk-

The sound that emerged was not something a hand should’ve been able to make. Slei
looked down at his arm with a blank expression.

There, he saw a thin red line, from which blood slowly began to drip. Then, Slei’s
forearm slid smoothly like a perfectly sliced cake.

“Kuaak…!”

Slei let out a scream of pain before a flash of bright light exploded from his body.

Sedi frowned slightly. She still hadn’t figured out what exactly this power was yet. Of
course, she didn’t think that it was particularly threatening, but one could never be
certain.

She’d seen people who were on the brink of death ignore everything and drag their
murderers down with them many times.

‘He’s caught like a rat anyway.’

There was no reason for her to gamble with her life. With a sly smirk on her face,
Sedi widened the distance between them.

“Cough, cough…”

Slei coughed heavily, and his body shook.

Before this, he had always done his best to maintain a neat appearance. His bleached
white hair was always combed neatly without even a single errant strand, his
expression had always been calm and gentle, and his voice was always warm and
soothing.

But now, that appearance was nowhere to be seen.

His hair was disheveled, his face was distorted like a devil, and his eyes were filled
with sheer hatred.

Sedi smiled brightly at him for a moment before her eyes were drawn to the staff in
her hands. There, she saw Slei’s detached right hand, still holding on firmly.

“Hmph.”

She made an expression of disgust before shaking her hand slightly, causing the
disgusting hand to fall to the ground with a thud.

Slei cried out with a broken voice.

“Do you know what you’re doing?!”

“Getting rid of an old fart who should have died long ago.”

“Our Church of Eternal Life has over a million followers!”

“Why would I care about that?”

Sedi raised an eyebrow.

She hoped that this old man wouldn’t suddenly say bullshit like ‘if you kill me, then
they will all become your enemies’.

“Killing me means destroying all of their hopes! Are you prepared for that? Are you
prepared to be the one who steals away their opportunities to reunite with their
loved ones and feel happiness once again?!”

Fortunately for Slei, he didn’t say what Sedi expected, but that didn’t change
anything.
She became even more annoyed.

As if to vent her anger, Sedi stomped on the severed right hand in front of her.

Strangely, there was a weak snap as though she had stomped on an old tree branch
instead of a hand.

Slei quivered as if he could feel his hand being trampled.

“Prepared? Always. I’m always prepared to kill trash who cry out like they’re the
most pitiful beings in the world.”

“What did you…”

“You heard me. I don’t care about garbage that deserves to be culled.”

This was a truth that Sedi learned in her home world.

Laws and Justice? Those were simply delusions of the weak.

“It’s the rule of nature for the weak to lose everything and be devoured. If they don’t
like it, then they simply have to become strong.”

After saying that, Sedi smiled.

It was only at that moment when Slei finally realised.

Despite her doll-like appearance, this being in front of him was no little girl. Instead,
she was a monster in human form who wore the mask of a little girl.

“Anyone who willingly listens to your nonsense is an idiot. They are weak and
pathetic for willingly following and relying on a fool like you. A fool who has
delusions of grandeur but no real power to back it up.”

Slei shouted in a hoarse voice.

“I, I can’t believe you’d say that about people who lost their families and were filled
with despair… Y-, you’re a demonic beast.”

“…in the past, I might have taken that as a compliment.”

Sedi muttered those words and closed her eyes.

Right. In the old days, she used to like having her eyes closed like this. Since all she
could see was darkness, she always felt that closing her eyes allowed her to connect
with him a little more.

But not anymore.

Sedi Glaston was no longer the child of the Black Horned Demon King.

“…now, I feel kinda bad.”

After saying that, Sedi pointed her staff towards Slei.

It seemed that she no longer had any intentions of keeping this old man alive.

If nothing had happened at that moment, the tip of her staff would have probably
pierced the old man’s throat.

“Huh?”

However, Sedi suddenly raised her eyes to look at the ceiling.

She could feel two sources of demonic energy approaching at high speeds. Lukas
could probably sense them as well.

“…the Five Dukes?”

It could only be them.

Their demonic energy was similar to the Duke’s, whom she’d encountered back in
Africa.

However, it was strange.

Sedi also knew that the Demon Dukes would only arrive in Busan the next morning if
they were to continue at their original pace.

‘No.’
It wasn’t that strange.

In the first place, since they had only been a day away, it was possible that they had
grown tired of destroying the cities or killing the humans and decided to increase
their speed.

“…no. Wait.”

In addition to the Demon Dukes, she also sensed another energy signature.

For the first time in a very long while, Sedi’s expression hardened.
Slei and Reika called Arid’s mysterious power [Brilliance]. It was a power that suited
the child born from the light, who had innately powerful spiritual energy.

[Communication] was only one part of the power of [Brilliance].

Slei focused more on Communication.

In fact, when it came to Communication, he was as skilled at utilising and

understanding it as Arid was.

Reika, on the other hand, used most of her power to change her body.

As a result, her ugly, aging skin regained its supple elasticity and her aging bones
became stronger than ever before.

That wasn’t all.

Just by covering her body in Brilliance, she became so strong that she could be called
‘superhuman’.

Reika knew that in such a state, there were very few people who could match her.

This wasn’t a bluff or delusion either. It was a conclusion that was based on actual
experience.

-The Saint of Salvation, one of the Top Three.

The achievement that was commonly considered to have granted the Saint their spot
in the Top Three was the single-handed defeat of five Marquises.

However, that achievement, as well as all of the achievements gained in Australia,

had actually been accomplished by Reika, not Arid.

What kind of human could easily defeat five Demon Marquises on their own?
It was only natural that Reika gained confidence as a result of her victory.

Paht!

Light erupted from Reika’s body.

In truth, Lukas found that it was nothing special. It seemed that this power could be
used in many different ways depending on the desires of the user. But Reika’s
strengthening of her body could only be considered one-dimensional at best.

Clang!

And naturally, something like that had no hope of breaching Lukas’ barrier.

Crunch.

Reika grit her teeth before widening the distance once more, her fist throbbing.

She was well aware of the tricks that Wizards and Sorcerers used. After all, she’d
clashed with Wizards from the Wizard’s Association many times.

They were all snobbish and unpleasant, their real-life experience was always lacking,
and they were usually only ever good at theory. Even if she were to fight dozens of
them at one time, she would be able to deal with them easily.

Annoyed, Reika sneered.

“It seems you don’t intend to use your Absolute powers. Are you still concerned
about keeping the balance of the universe?”

“I’m always concerned.”

Lukas waved his hand slightly in response.

At the same time, dozens of spears of ice shot up from the floor. Reika tried to avoid
them all in the little time she had to react, but a single spear pierced her ankle.

“Kuk…!”

Reika winced slightly from the pain as she landed on one foot, glaring at the man in
front of her. She understood what her opponent was trying to say.

He wasn’t using his Absolute power because he was afraid of influencing the balance
of this universe. Instead, he simply didn’t feel the need to.

Shuk.

The hole in her ankle closed up in an instant. This was also a function of Brilliance. It
had a transcendental regenerative ability, able to heal almost any injury in only a
matter of moments.

Nevertheless, Reika’s expression wasn’t good. After all, the Brilliance power that she
had was not infinite.

Lukas looked at her for a moment before muttering.

“It seems you’re beginning to return to your true form.”

“…!”

Reika quickly raised a hand to her face, immediately feeling the wrinkles that had
begun to form on her previously smooth skin.

“Ahhh…!”

“Are you unable to give up your obsession with your appearance even in this
situation?”

“…sh-,shut up!”

Screaming, Reika charged forward. She’d managed to keep her cool until then, but
the moment Lukas mentioned her appearance, she immediately lost her temper.

“In the end, you used the desperation of others to satisfy your own selfish desires.”

“Ha. Don’t try to act like you’re a noble person.”

Reika’s voice was filled with hate.

“It was simply a deal. They wanted something, and I had the means to make it
possible! What’s so wrong about that?”

“That’s why you’re going to die.”

Lukas spoke in a low voice.

“Because I can’t understand it.”

Just as Lukas lifted his hand…

Paht!

A bright flash of light appeared in the middle of him and Reika.

Before the light began to fade, Lukas was able to tell who it was.

He slowly opened his mouth.

“Arid.”

Arid hesitated before nodding and responding.

“…Mr. Soul.”

He had a complicated expression on his face.*

Lukas couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking at that moment. Unfortunately,
his spiritual eyes blocked even Lukas’ insight.

Nevertheless, he was certain about one thing.

Arid wasn’t surprised to see Lukas in a physical form.

“Is this woman your family?”

“…she’s my grandmother.”

“I see.”

Lukas lowered his hand. At that moment, Reika looked at Arid with a happy
expression.

“Ohhh… Arid, you saved me.”

Her supple facial muscles had become loose, and her skin became covered in
wrinkles and age spots.

Nevertheless, Reika smiled brightly.

“Hurry up and get rid of that Demon… You should be able to do that much, right…?”

“Grandmother, you tricked me.”

“Right. I’m sorry… But I did it for everyone’s happiness.”

“It’s not just me. You also tricked everyone from the Church of Eternal Life.”

“Arid… Are you blaming Grandma now?”

Reika lowered her voice as she said this, and Arid bit his lip. Hard enough to draw
blood.

Then, he strode towards Reika.

“Grandmother, what the hell…”

Lukas wondered just how Arid would react, but he couldn’t pay attention to their
reunion any longer.

Lukas looked up at the ceiling. To be precise, he was looking beyond it.

Even though the sun was about to rise, the sky had turned black. This was a darkness
that wouldn’t be seen even in the middle of a starless night.

Then, a black spark streaked across the sky.

“…!”

Boom!
It was as though lightning had struck.

But it wasn’t lightning. It was far larger and more powerful than lightning. Moreover,
he could feel the malicious energy from there.

The power contained in this single black streak was enough to destroy the entire
Korean Branch.

Lukas didn’t take too long to react.

He immediately erected a barrier.

A barrier as strong and as large as he could make it. In other words, it covered the
entirety of the Korean Branch and the facility underground.

Crack!

Nevertheless, the barrier still cracked, nearly shattering. It had only barely managed
to withstand the attack.

Lukas stumbled backward, his insides churning.

“M-, Mr. Soul?”

Arid’s eyes widened at the sudden movement.

Lukas didn’t respond.

‘…that’s not the Five Dukes.’

Even if the two Dukes were to work together, they would not have been able to
achieve such destructive power.

Lukas’ heart raced.

He already knew who it was.

He once again looked up at the ceiling, this time using Clairvoyance. His power
allowed him to spot the being standing in the sky, hidden behind the clouds.
He’d never met him before, but he knew.

The being clenched their fist and muttered.

[Supremacy Fist.]

If they didn’t witness it for themselves, perhaps no one would believe what
happened next.

With that soft murmur, half of the Korean Branch disappeared.

***

About ten minutes before half of the Korean Branch of the Hunter Association
disappeared.

Ugkas froze in place, honestly wondering if he was imagining things or not.

Guguk… guk.

Unbelievably, it was Sipakna’s grotesque sounds that brought him back to his senses.

This Demon Duke, who looked like a monster, recovered before Ugkas, who still
stood idly.

It bent its body in a strange sign of subservience.

After seeing that, Ugkas quickly fell to one knee.

“I, I greet the King…!”

He paid his respect to none other than the Demon King.

Demon King Kasajin’s reaction was no different from usual. He simply nodded his
head calmly.

[Raise your head.]

Ugkas slowly raised his head. It was fortunate that his metal body didn’t have sweat
glands. Otherwise, he would have been covered in cold sweat.
He gulped slightly before speaking in a hesitant tone.

“Wh-, why did you come here?”

His heart was pounding so loudly that it was disturbing.

He couldn’t help but wonder if the King had come to punish them for failing to
capture Kran after so long. Or if he was there because he no longer wanted to wait…

‘I have no excuse… ’

Of course, Kasajin hadn’t mentioned a time span for the mission, but that was still
not an excuse.

It was an order that had been given by the King himself.

It should have been completed as quickly as possible, and it could have been.

However, Ugkas had decided to enjoy a bit of slaughter in this land. In other words,
he’d taken his time.

‘If I had put aside that mindset and focused on the mission… ’

Ugkas was confident that he could raze the Korean Peninsula to the ground in three
days or less. If he had done that, then it would have been easy to find Kran.

[I didn’t come here to blame you, Ugkas.]

“Huh…?”

[There is a being here whom you have no hope of resisting.]

Someone’s name flashed through Ugkas’ mind at that moment.

The one who had killed Gullard Phisfounder, one of the Five Dukes like him.

Looking into the distance, Kasajin spoke slowly.

[You finish what you came here to do. I will deal with him.]
*(TL: So I have a mini confession. It was confirmed that Arid was male about two
chapters ago, but I hadn’t changed from ‘they/them’ because I kind of liked the idea
of not actually knowing his gender. But I decided to finally accept the reality and use
the proper pronouns. Sorry for my arbitrary actions…

Also, I must say that I’m quite confused with this whole ‘two of the Five Dukes’ thing.
Didn’t they say many times before that Sipakna was stronger than other Dukes but
still weaker than the Five Dukes?)
Beeee-

A terrible ringing sounded in her ears.

“K-, uh…”

Sedi forced herself to her feet. She felt dizzy and nauseous. In fact, it felt like her
bones were vibrating.

“Urk…”

Unable to handle it, she vomited a mouthful of blood. Ironically, she felt a bit better
after spitting out the blood.

‘Indeed… ’

Having such a body was uncomfortable. Forcibly suppressing the nausea, Sedi looked
around.

“Hah.”

She had just witnessed an unbelievable scene with her own eyes.

It was as if a spear of light shot out from some kind of orbital weapon had pierced
the entire base. Not only had the skyscraper that was built above ground been
almost completely destroyed, but even the underground facilities which were
hundreds of meters below the ground had been completely pulverised.

Of course, the main culprit of this devastating attack was not an orbital weapon, nor
were they even in space to begin with.

‘Demon King.’

The bastard who had killed her once and caused her to be in such a state was the
cause of tragedy.
Pat pat.

Sedi brushed off some dirt that had landed on her head. Then, her eyes turned to
where Lukas was.

‘There were two attacks. Father blocked the first one.’

His response had been amazing, but Lukas hadn’t been able to completely block the
Demon King’s second attack. Nevertheless, the barrier had greatly reduced the level
of destruction the attack caused.

‘If it hadn’t been for him… ’

Sedi’s heart shook violently.

If Lukas hadn’t blocked the attacks, all of the living beings currently in the base
would have crossed over the yellow river without knowing how they died.

“U-, uhh…”

“Kuh…”

The believers around her groaned in pain.

Many of them had died, and those who didn’t suffered from severe injuries. Most of
them had lost one or several limbs.

Even Sedi felt pain throughout her entire body. That level of shock wasn’t something
fragile humans could handle.

‘I’m in pretty bad condition.’

Perhaps if it had been someone other than Sedi, they would have disappeared
without a single trace remaining.

Sedi looked around for Min Ha-rin. She wasn’t in good shape either, but at the very
least, she didn’t seem to be seriously injured.

“Hey.”
“…what?”

“It seems like your time to play with these idiots has passed.”

Puh.

Min Ha-rin spat out a mouthful of dust before speaking.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“The Five Dukes are here.”

“…!”

Min Ha-rin’s eyes widened at those words.

It wasn’t just her. The believers, who were groaning on the ground, were also roused
by those words.

“Th-, the Five Dukes are here!”

“It’s time to fight!”

“Cough… Ahhh…!!”

Sedi looked at them in disbelief.

Those who were severely injured and seemed to be on the brink of death were now
brimming with energy. Their eyes were filled with joy as though they could no longer
feel their pain.

Sedi smacked the staff against the ground.

Bang!

The impact caused the ground beneath her to crack, and pieces of stone were sent
flying in every direction. Her action didn’t just draw attention to herself, but it also
caused the believers, who were slowly rising to their feet, to fall to the ground again.

With an expression of annoyance, Sedi opened her mouth.

“You want to fight? Cut the crap. Do you think it would even be a fight between you
and those guys up there?”

“Who the hell do you think-!”

Thud!

An orb of demonic energy shot from the tip of the staff into the stomach of the
believer who had just begun to shout. After coughing up a mouthful of blood, that
believer collapsed, unconscious. (TL: why does she still have demonic energy?)

“Don’t be mistaken. This isn’t a request or suggestion. It is a threat. If you try to

disobey, I will kill you with my own hands.”

“Do you think we are afraid of death?”

When one of the believers asked this with a venomous expression, Sedi shot a bright,
yet sadistic, smile at them.

“No. But I happen to know the perfect way to deal with fanatics like you.”

She then pointed her staff at Slei.

Slei was probably the worst off out of everyone who had suffered through this
ordeal. Almost half of his left torso had disappeared.

Because he had lost his right arm to Sedi, he had basically lost both arms.

Even if someone were to watch on objectively, the appearance of this old man who
was breathing shallowly and looked like he would die at any moment would have
been enough to fill them with a sense of sympathy.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for Sedi.

“Since he doesn’t have any arms, should I cut off his feet instead? Let’s start with the
left one first.”

“S-, stop!”

“Y-, you demonic bitch!”

“I’ve heard that many times today.”

Sedi picked her ears as she slowly walked up to Slei, who had already lost
consciousness.

In truth, with the extent of his injuries, it was a miracle that he was even alive. And
now that she looked closely, she realised that his wounds had already stopped
bleeding.

He had stopped without receiving any medical attention. In fact, that wasn’t the only
thing that disturbed her.

In the cross-sections of his injuries, she could see the flesh and blood vessels
wriggling. It was faint, but it seemed that he was beginning to regenerate. Maybe
after a few hours, his severed limbs would grow back like a lizard’s tail.

This must have been one of the abilities of the power the old man had used before.

‘It really is a disgustingly annoying power… ’

Sedi snorted before kicking Slei’s body over to Min Ha-rin.

Min Ha-rin, who caught him out of reflex, looked down at his body in confusion.

“If you make use of that old fart, you’ll be able to keep those idiots under control.”

“…do you want me to threaten them as you did?”

“That’s the fastest and most effective way, but it’s up to you.”

After saying that, Sedi looked up.

“Now, get out of here.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to fight them.”

Maybe because he believed something like this would happen, Lukas had already
told her what to do beforehand. Sedi’s role was simply to restrict and delay them.
Min Ha-rin hesitated for a moment before asking.

“…you won’t die, will you?”

“Me? Hmph.”

Sedi snorted before waving her hands.

“The newborn puppy is worried about the tiger? Stop wasting time and go.”

“…”

Min Ha-rin paused for a moment before finally opening her mouth.

“Don’t die.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.”

“Right.”

MIn Ha-rin nodded once before leaving. Sedi only glanced at her for a moment before
turning away as if she’d lost interest.

The underground facilities were already a mess, and if they were to make a mistake,
they might be buried in debris, but they were all still hunters. It should be possible
for them to get to a safe zone.

Sedi’s gaze returned to the sky.

Come to think of it, she was looking up at the sky from several meters beneath the
ground. This was due to the Demon King’s attack, which disintegrated a large
portion of the building and the ground around it.

This was certainly not something one could see often.

‘Three enemies… ’

No. Lukas was now approaching the Demon King. It seemed the Absolutes were
going to compete amongst themselves.
Sedi let out a bitter laugh.

“Then I guess I’ll take care of the other two.”

Suddenly, Lukas’ words appeared in her mind.

Currently, she was similar to or even slightly weaker than the Five Dukes. Of course,
she didn’t intend to blindly take his word for it, but at least she didn’t foolishly
believe that she could easily win the fight.

Sedi was also a transcendent being. She had countless experiences of fighting against
enemies with no guarantee of victory even if she were to put her life on the line.

So even if the Five Dukes really were stronger than her, she didn’t intend to easily
back down.

‘Father said to hold on until he can come to help.’

But she knew just what Lukas would have to deal with.

This was natural. After all, she’d already fought and lost to him before.

It was a complete and utter defeat that Sedi had never experienced before in her life.

Could Lukas defeat him?

He was still unable to use his power as he pleased.

But the Demon King was different. He had demonstrated transcendental power
during his fight with Sedi.

“Maybe I can go help.”

Taht.

As she muttered this slightly pretentious phrase, two Demon Dukes landed in front
of her. Sedi carefully looked at them.

The one on the left appeared to be a statue made of iron. Its entire body was made of
shiny black metal. Other than that, there was nothing unique about it. Its body was
similar to that of an adult human male.

On the other hand, the other Demon Duke had many features that stood out. When
one saw it, the only word one would be able to think about to describe it would be
‘monster’.

Its body had a shape that was similar to a slug except that it was over five meters
long and had no features apart from a large mouth. Every time it inhaled and
exhaled, the rows of teeth in its mouth would rotate slightly.

From its appearance, it seemed that it would be able to expand its mouth many times
its size if it wanted to.

The Iron Duke, Ugkas, opened his mouth while looking at Sedi in surprise.

“It’s even more ridiculous when seeing it in person. Is this brat really the one with
such a powerful aura?”

Originally, Ugkas had intended to pursue and exterminate all of the humans in this
city before destroying it. This was because he thought it would be more noticeable
and draw Kran out.

However, just as he was about to take action, he sensed a surprising aura.

This aura was almost comparable to his own, and because of this, he grew curious.

At first, he’d thought that it was Kran. After all, he didn’t believe that any human
could have an aura so powerful. However, to his surprise, it was instead a little
human girl who seemed to have not yet reached adulthood.

Guguk… guk.

Unlike Ugkas, who was puzzled, Sipakna calmly prepared for battle.

‘He’s getting serious? Could this little girl really be a threat to us?’

Sipakna’s instincts were very sharp. If he recognised this little girl as an enemy, then
she must certainly have been a great threat.

Ugkas nodded.
Right. He could just test it for himself.

Boom!

Ugkas’ body shot towards Sedi like a cannonball.

‘As expected, he’s someone who fights with his body.’

Swinging the staff slightly, Sedi took a stance. A lot of thoughts flashed through her
mind in an instant.

The power of Ugkas’ charge was not something she would be able to block easily.
The staff was pretty sturdy, but it would not be able to withstand the force of the
attack.

‘More importantly, I’m still not in good condition.’

Her organs had been badly damaged by the Demon King’s previous attack to the
point where she spat out blood. So it would be a big gamble to take on such an attack
in her current state.

She had no choice but to dodge.

Clack!

“…!”

But at that moment, something sticky wrapped around her ankle.

Sedi, who had been caught off guard, hurriedly looked down.

Gluk…

A slimy tentacle was wrapped around each of her ankles. This was Sipakna’s doing.

At some point, it had sneakily pierced two of its hundreds of tentacles into the
ground before using them to catch her by surprise.

‘Such a rudimentary mistake…!’

Sedi hurriedly swung the staff, severing the tentacles.

But that was all she was able to do.

Because by that time, Ugkas was already in front of her.

She couldn’t redirect it, she couldn’t block it, and she couldn’t dodge.

‘Fuck… ’

Boom!

A heavy force struck her body.

And Sedi’s vision became white.

Her entire body was filled with pain as if she had been torn to pieces. But naturally,
she knew that wasn’t true.

Sedi forcibly held on to her remaining consciousness. She knew that if she were to
faint now, it would all be over.

Using the momentum of the attack, she rolled a few times across the ground before
getting back to her feet.

Her sense of balance was in shambles. The sky felt like the ground, and the ground
felt like the sky. She wasn’t even sure if she was still facing in the right direction.

In this state, there was only one thing she could trust.

Sedi launched herself backward, relying purely on the sixth sense that she had
developed through countless battles.

Crash!

Tentacles once again sprang up from the spot where she had just been standing. She
had been prepared this time, but the situation was still not good. The tentacles began
to surge towards her from every direction, not just from the ground. It was as though
hundreds of snakes were rushing at her at the same time.

Sedi spun the staff like a windmill, hitting the tentacles away.

‘I can’t see the big iron guy… ’

His large physique would normally have been impossible to miss, but now, he was
hiding behind the hundreds of tentacles.

For a moment, Sedi couldn’t help but feel that even another head would not be
enough in this situation. It was already quite painful to focus on Sipakna’s numerous
tentacles, but she also had to be mindful of Ugkas’ potential sneak attack.
Spurt!

Then, one of the tentacles shot out purple bodily fluid at her. (TL:… these tentacles
are starting to get out of hand…)

Instinctively realising that it would be dangerous to let this fluid touch her, Sedi
stomped the ground with her left foot.

Boom!

A large piece of rubble, which rose from the impact of her stomp, managed to serve
as a temporary shield. Unfortunately, it didn’t last very long.

Tssss!

The fluid seemed to be extremely corrosive as it let off a hissing sound upon contact
with the stone. This piece of stone, about 20cm thick, was completely corroded in
only a few seconds.

‘It’ll be over if I let that touch me.’

She also couldn’t hit it with her staff. After all, despite its durability, there was no
guarantee that the staff would be able to survive contact with the tentacle fluid.

In this situation, losing her weapon would only put her at more of a disadvantage, so
she had to be cautious.

‘…there’s nothing I can do about it. Now isn’t the time to think about that.’

After thinking this, Sedi released her demonic energy.

Boom!

Despite her small stature, the demonic energy that exploded from her body spread
out like a mist of death, immediately killing anything it came into contact with.
Naturally, the tentacles were no exception.

“Demonic energy…?”

Ugkas’ face twitched slightly.

Contrary to Sedi’s worries, he hadn’t been hiding behind Sipakna’s tentacles nor was
he looking for any openings.

The first charge attack that he’d displayed had been strong enough to destroy
multiple buildings in one hit.

And yet, this little girl had managed to survive. Even if a group of Warriors who had
trained their bodies for their entire lives were to form a line and defend together,
they would not be able to compare to this small, lithe body.

Therefore, it was only natural that Ugkas had raised his vigilance against Sedi by a
few levels as a result.

But now, Sedi was releasing demonic energy. The very same demonic energy that
they used.

Thud!

Ugkas landed on the ground. The ground where he fell was immediately destroyed,
and it felt like the entirety of the half-destroyed underground facility shook heavily.

“Girl, you’re using demonic energy, but you don’t appear to be a Demon. Are you a
Demon… or are you one of those hybrids too?”

“Pfft.”

When she heard that, Sedi seemed to forget the situation for a moment as she let out
a snicker.

“What’s so funny?”

“Your ignorance is amusing. Am I a Demon? I don’t want to listen to the bullshit of

fools who don’t know their own origins.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t deserve to know the answer. You can ask me again when you’re stronger.”

“…”
After saying that, Sedi provocatively waved her hands, but Ugkas maintained his
cautious attitude and didn’t move.

‘This guy is no joke.’

It seemed that he also had a lot of combat experience.

Sedi forcibly stopped her fingers from trembling.

Although her organs were still throbbing, so far, she had no problems moving her
arms, legs, or head.

In other words, as long as she ignored the pain, she would have no problem moving
her limbs.

It was the only thing that could be described as ‘fortunate’ in this entire situation.

‘This reminds me of the old days.’

Her odds of winning were probably less than 10 percent.

And as she thought of that fact, the smile on her lips grew wider.

***

He didn’t know what happened.

Arid looked around in a daze.

Dust filled the air, and screams of pain could be heard from every direction.

The church building, which had seemed to be filled with a holy aura just a moment
ago, was now reminiscent of the place his grandfather described as hell.

“Ah… Uhhh. Ahh…”

Reika stood there, desperately trying to hold up her drooping skin.

Arid simply stared at her, unwilling to get any closer.

“A-, Arid… g- give Grandma [Brilliance]… give me Brilliance.”

“…give you Brilliance? What does Grandmother intend to do with it?”

“What…?”

Reika blinked her eyes, unable to contain the surprise she was feeling at that
moment.

This was the first time that Arid, who had always been obedient to her and Slei, had
asked a question like this. Even his voice seemed to carry a strange emotion.

“D-, don’t you feel sorry for Grandma? Are you still asking me that after seeing how I
look now?”

“I don’t feel sorry for you. That’s the way Grandmother is supposed to look.”

“Arid…!”

Reika’s expression became distorted like a Demon’s. A spiteful look flashed in her
eyes, and coupled with her wrinkled face, it gave her the appearance of a spiteful
witch. If this had been the past, Arid would have certainly cowered by now.

But now, it didn’t matter.

“How? How could you think of yourself in a situation like this?!”

Paht!

Following Arid’s shout, Brilliance erupted from his body.

Reika winced at the sudden burst of intense light.

“A lot of people were injured and even killed in that attack! Can you not hear their
cries? If we, no, if I don’t help them, they might all die!”

“Th-. they are believers of the Church of Eternal Life… Even if they die, they will not
truly die, and we will take care of their souls…”

“That’s just a hoax! It’s just as Mr. Soul said!”

It was then that Reika understood.

Arid had eavesdropped on the conversation between her and Lukas.

And he had realised.

Just how terrible what they were doing was.

Of course, Arid had always been deceived. Because of his innocence, he had naively
listened to Slei and Reika’s lies.

Of… he forcibly covered his eyes to prevent himself from realising.

Because it was his Grandfather. Because it was his Grandmother.

He had always believed in them because they were the ones who raised him.

And this was the result.

In the end, it was Arid’s soft-hearted attitude that had caused his grandparents to
become like this.

Ignoring Reika, who was staring at him in shock, Arid turned around.

“A-, Arid. Stop. Where are you going?”

“I’m going to save people.”

“You can’t! We have to run away! T-, there are two of the Five Dukes…! Your Brilliance
is already exhausted, isn’t it? It’s suicide!”

“No.”

Someone was still fighting.

Arid walked to the hole that pierced through the entire building and looked down.

Like a sandwich that had been cut in half, he could see the cross-sections of the
floors beneath him.
And at the very bottom, he saw a young girl fighting against the two Dukes.

…It wasn’t just this girl.

This time, he looked up at the sky.

He was looking in the direction that Lukas had flown off in.

The place where the monster who had destroyed the Korean Branch headquarters in
just two attacks was.

Lukas’ expression flashed in Arid’s mind at that moment.

It seemed that he was prepared to risk his life.

Crunch.

He clenched his fist tightly. Then, he took a deep breath.

Arid finally made up his mind.

It was really strange.

He should have already killed her by now.

‘How long has it been?’

Bang!

Ugkas’ fist sank into Sedi’s stomach, and it should have been a devastating blow.

But it wasn’t. Instead, he felt the force of his attack dissipate just before it reached
her.

‘Did she absorb the force of my attack?’

Tuk.

His outstretched arm was caught, but Ugkas didn’t care. After all, his entire body was
made out of metal that was many times harder than steel. So techniques like joint
locking would not work against him.

But Sedi didn’t intend to lock his joints. She grabbed Ugkas’ right arm with both
hands. Then, something inconceivable happened.

Ugkas’ large body was lifted into the air.

‘This… ’

He was acutely aware of just how heavy his body was. So how the hell was this little
girl able to lift him?

Boom!

Then, as if to mock Ugkas’ doubts even further, Sedi slammed him into the ground.
The impact of the fall shattered the ground beneath them, and Ugkas fell down to a
new floor.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

One floor, two floors, three floors.

The underground facility had been constructed in preparation for an attack by the
Demons, and it was theorised that it would be able to withstand dozens of attacks
from air-to-surface missiles before it suffered even a single crack.

Nevertheless, it was only after breaking through the fourth floor that Ugkas finally
stopped falling.

“…”

Ugkas slowly rose to his feet.

The pain that rippled through his body for the first time in a very long while was
strange and surprising at the same time.

He looked up through the hole he’d made during his descent.

The mysterious little girl was locked in heated combat with Sipakna. With every
clash, the wounds on Sedi’s body steadily increased. However, instead of faltering,
her movements were becoming sharper and sharper.

‘It’s like the more she fights, the stronger she becomes.’

No. It wasn’t something that simple.

Ugkas had met several individuals who became significantly stronger when their
lives were on the line.

However, the prowess Sedi was showing wasn’t something that could be attributed
to desperate ‘growth’.

‘This is like… ’

A powerful being who hadn’t fought in a long time slowly loosening her rusty body.
‘She’s dangerous.’

Ugkas’ instincts began to sound an alarm in his head. This was no longer something
that could be handled while conserving his strength. He realised that if he didn’t kill
this girl now, this fight would become many times more troublesome.

Ugkas leapt upward.

Boom!

His body shot upwards like a rocket.

Sedi immediately put her guard up. Even though she continued to fight Sipakna, her
focus was now mostly on Ugkas.

This was because unlike Sipakna, who used various tricks to injure her bit by bit,
every one of Ugkas’ attacks was lethal.

“Blade Fist.”

An incredibly powerful force was built up in Ugkas’ fist before he punched forward.

Sedi couldn’t have known that he knew the Warrior King Fist, which also contained
various long-ranged attacks.

Nor could she know how unbelievably powerful these attacks were.

The first thing she noticed was the breeze blowing past her ears.

Coooo-

Then, she felt the unusual energy. It was as though it was a sign, a harbinger of
destruction.

Unfortunately, the phenomenon it announced came shortly after.

By the time Sedi turned her head to look at Ugkas, the breeze from his fist had
already become a strong gale.

Even so, the force didn’t stop building.

It became bigger, stronger, more vicious.

And at long last.

Roar!

The gentle breeze had become a typhoon that swept away everything in its path.

‘Crazy bastard… ’

He was using a skill with such a range? Didn’t he know that Sipakna would also get
caught in it?

Remembering her other opponent, Sedi suddenly turned to look at the slug-like
being. Its response to this was simple. It simply wrapped its hundreds of tentacles
around itself like a cocoon.

“Kuk…!”

Right. He could just regenerate any damage he took anyway.

Sedi gnashed her teeth.

The range of the attack was too large for her to dodge it, and it couldn’t be blocked
because it was a shapeless windstorm.

‘I need to save my demonic energy.’

She already didn’t have much demonic energy left. Even though she had gradually
been using it little by little to deal with this desperate situation, she’d still kept some
in reserve in case of any sudden changes. However, in order to defend against this
attack, she would have to use most of her Demonic energy.

‘Dammit.’

However, she didn’t have much of a choice at that moment.

“I’ll worry about the consequences later…!”

Sedi immediately unleashed her demonic energy.

In an instant, her vision went black. Such power was already at the limits of her
mortal body.

Boom!

Nevertheless, the effect was outstanding.

Sedi’s demonic energy brought death to all things.

Because the Absolute domain with which she was most familiar was death.

If she was able to rise to the rank of Ruler in the future, she would surely gain
dominion over death.

Her home world, the Planet of Fighters, was also called the Planet of Death.

A barren, bloody land.

‘Kill or be killed.’

There was no other way to live.

On that planet, Sedi fought continuously.

Thousands of people, tens of thousands of people.

She had killed at least that many people, and she felt their death every time.

Then, as she slowly began to feel the grim reaper breath down her neck, she began to
understand the concept of death to an extent.

That’s why she knew just how dangerous it was to deal with this power in her
current state.

Death was not a concept that any mortal could handle.

“…that is a tremendous power.”

Ugkas muttered these words in a strained voice.

The demonic energy that Sedi released hadn’t just offset his Blade Fist but had also
struck Ugkas’ hard body.

However, this incredible power, which would turn even stone to dust in only a few
moments, had little effect on Ugkas.

“You have a metal body… so you are the worst opponent for me.”

Sedi said these words with a wry smile.

But this was a lie.

She’d put her life on the line with her previous attack. Pouring most of her demonic
energy from her body had put it in a worse condition than before.

But in the end, even this all-or-nothing shot had failed.

‘I was planning on taking out one of the Five Dukes with that attack.’

Why hadn’t she aimed for Sipakna instead? She felt regret, but there was no
guarantee that the results would have been different.

After all, this insidious slug had hidden its true colors even better than Ugkas.

“Looks like you’ve given up.”

“Not yet.”

“There’s no need to pretend. I can see your condition.”

Ugkas shook his head as he continued.

“I heard that there is a Saint here, one of the Top Three… If you had worked together
with him, you might have been more troublesome to deal with.”

“Well. I don’t think there is any human who would have been much help in this
situation.”

Ugkas didn’t agree with that.

After all, it wasn’t just the Saint.

Somewhere in this land was the man who was the reason they’d gone there in the
first place.

Ugkas’ heart felt a bit cold at that moment.

If that man and Sedi had worked together…

It was at that moment.

Boom!

Something shot downwards like a cannonball. Even Sedi was surprised by the speed
and destructive power.

This projectile, which shot downwards like lightning, was aimed at Sipakna.

Realising this, Sipakna lifted its tentacles to form a gigantic meat shield.

Crack!

But it didn’t work.

The projectile easily penetrated the wall of tentacles like they were made of old
wood and sank deeply into Sipakna’s body, pinning it to the ground. And it was only
then they were able to see what the projectile was.

It was a single sword.

Roooaar~!

Sipakna roared and struggled fiercely while Sedi was surprised by the sudden
situation.

“So this is where you were hiding.”

“…”

Ugkas’ expression hardened.

A man with short gray hair smoothly landed on the ground, his cloak billowing
around him.

“I’ve been looking for you bastards for a long time.”

The Strongest, Kran, let out a laugh.

The place that Kran had been sent to was Seoul, the city that had been the capital of
South Korea in the past.

But when he landed, at first, he thought that he might have been sent to the wrong
place. This was because the place he found himself in could only be described as a
barren ruin.

It was widely known that Korea had been relatively unaffected by the Demon
invasion, and while this city had suffered from a certain amount of damage, there
was still a large number living here.

The most important facilities in the city had managed to survive the attack. This
meant that as long as they were able to secure food and water, humans could
continue living here.

But this place was different. Contrary to what he’d heard, Kran couldn’t find the
slightest trace of a person.

Of course, he was easily able to find the reason why. The earth in this place had died.

A lethal amount of demonic energy filled the air, and the ground seemed to have
been burned. In this place, an ordinary human with a weak body would definitely die
before they could even take five breaths.

Of course, this wasn’t an issue for Kran, who was a hybrid.

He looked around.

At first, he thought that his ‘target’ was nearby like Ringo said. But after searching
for a day, he came to the conclusion that that wasn’t the case.

He had only managed to find a few Demon Beasts and low-grade Demons in the
vicinity of Seoul.

For Kran, weak beings like those couldn’t even serve as a warm-up.
As he easily disposed of them as though they were garbage, he couldn’t help but
frown.

‘Did Ringo trick me?’

That couldn’t be true.

They’d been acquainted for quite a while now.

Although she was still extremely mysterious and he had no way of knowing what she
was thinking, she had never done anything to betray his trust.

In fact, even if she might have tricked him to some extent, he still decided to overlook
it.

Because Ringo’s support was extremely useful to him. In fact, after obtaining her
assistance, the efficiency with which he hunted Demons had increased by at least
three times.

With that thought in mind, Kran wandered around the area, trying to figure out why
Ringo had chosen to send him to Seoul.

A few days passed like that.

Then, finally, after he rescued a group of people from a desperate situation, a hunter
spoke to him.

“It would be best if you stayed away from Busan.”

“Why?”

“There are rumours that two extremely powerful Demons are on their way there.”

Rumors were often exaggerated, but this one was the truth. Kran was certain of it.

According to the hunter, two Demons suddenly appeared, sweeping away everything
in their path like a natural disaster, and it seemed that they were headed towards
Busan.

‘That’s my prey.’
Nevertheless, a question still appeared in his mind.

‘Two?’

Ringo always knew exactly how strong Kran was. So the targets she chose were
always based on Kran’s level. This was the case every single time without exception.

Kran didn’t believe that this time was any different.

He had recently defeated one of the Five Dukes. Ringo was also aware of this.

In other words, in the worst case scenario, both of these Demons might have been
members of the Five Dukes.

“…”

Kran’s expression became a bit harsh at that realisation.

No matter how much stronger he had become, it would certainly be hard to deal
with two of the Five Dukes at the same time.

‘If there was even one other reliable person… ’

As he had that thought, his mind couldn’t help but shift to the person he’d met in
Africa, but he quickly shook his head.

This wasn’t the time for such frivolous thoughts.

He knew just how powerful the Demon Dukes were. But he also knew that they
never worked together. There had never before been a report of two Dukes attacking
the same place together.

At most, it was usually a Duke and a Marquis.

Or even a group of Marquises.

Even that was enough to be described as a disaster by most humans.

With that observation in mind, Kran made his way towards Busan.
When he got there, traces of his targets could be found everywhere.

He’d heard that Busan was where the largest branch of the Hunter Association in the
Korean Peninsula was located. So naturally, there would be a large number of
civilians under their protection.

But most of these people had already died.

There were no corpses in sight, but Kran was able to smell the thick stench of blood.

It was a bit annoying, but at least it made it easy for him to track them down. After a
while, he was finally able to find them.

The sky.

It would soon be time for the sun to rise, but the sky above Busan was completely
black. The wind blowing against his cheeks was slow and viscous as if it was filled
with demonic energy.

Kran looked at the being who had caused all of this to happen. This being was
looking down at a large skyscraper with the black sky behind him.

‘Demon.’

If the Devil from the Bible truly existed, he felt that it would look like this.

Kran, who had killed hundreds of Demons, had this thought for the first time.

He had never felt like this before.

Just looking at this being made his instincts alarm like crazy, and his entire body
tingled. A mysterious pressure seemed to cling to his skin, causing him to slow down
significantly.

They weren’t even meeting face to face. He was simply looking at the other from afar,
and yet, he could already foresee his defeat and eventually death.

He hadn’t felt this way even when facing Gullard, one of the Five Dukes.

And that was why he was able to realise who this brutal being in the sky was.
‘Demon King.’

He saw him standing there with his fists clenched at his sides.

This gave him a very strange feeling. After all, this stance seemed to be very similar
to the opening movements of many martial arts that humans studied.

However, the devastation that he witnessed next was completely out of the realm of
what could be accomplished by humans.

Boom!

The Demon King punched forward, and vicious demonic energy poured out of his fist
before taking on a distinct shape that was reminiscent of the face of a screaming
devil.

The devil’s face opened its mouth and seemed to want to devour the entire building.

Boom!

But a bluish barrier quickly appeared and blocked the attack.

This scene caused Kran to be even more surprised than when he saw the Demon
King.

‘An attack like that could be blocked?’

Unfortunately, that miracle only happened once.

The Demon King punched forward once more, and the barrier shattered like a pane
of glass.

The devil face pierced into the building, and two beings, who appeared to be the
Dukes he was after, followed after it.

[…]

The Demon King looked down at the scene below for a moment before disappearing
into the dark clouds.
Kran clicked his tongue.

He wasn’t entirely sure about the current situation, but his body was already moving.

Before long, he found himself standing above the large hole the Demon King had
created.

He looked down and was immediately greeted by an incredible sight.

The sight of a young girl going toe-to-toe with two of the Five Dukes.

***

Kran glanced at Sedi.

She looked terrible. From the outside, one might think that this little girl was being
toyed with by the two Dukes.

But her eyes told an entirely different story. The battle lust blazing in her fiery eyes
was so potent that even Kran was surprised.

“Who are you?”

“A hunter.”

This was the word that best described Kran’s identity.

Nevertheless, Sedi frowned slightly when she heard it.

“A hunter?”

“Right. Why? Do you find that hard to believe?”

“No. It’s not that.”

After all, there was no way that he would just barge into their fight and throw his
sword at Sipakna’s body if he wasn’t a hunter.

It was just that she hadn’t known that there was such a strong human hunter.
‘Human… ’

Was he human?

Sedi narrowed her eyes slightly.

At that moment, she recalled the power Kran had just displayed as his sword pierced
through Sipakna’s body in an instant.

This was a level of power and control that humans couldn’t even wish to have.

On top of that, Sedi had felt faint traces of demonic energy in his attack.

“And who are you?”

It was natural that Kran would have his suspicions.

After all, this frail little girl had been able to fight against two of the Five Dukes on
her own.

Was she a hybrid like him? This thought had circled in his mind, but he didn’t think
that was the case.

After all, she was covered in wounds. If she were a hybrid, it would have been easy to
regenerate injuries like those.

“Sedi.”

“…Sedi?”

This was the first time he’d heard that name.

It was the same for Lukas. Where had these strangely powerful people been hiding
all this time?

At that moment, Ugkas interrupted their conversation.

“The target came to us on his own.”

He cracked his neck as he pondered the current situation.

One of the Top Three, Kran, had now joined the battle. This was something that
Ugkas had been worried about, and naturally, it wasn’t a good sign.

But he didn’t think the situation was too bad.

‘That black-haired girl is already close to dying.’

She had already exhausted most of her power, so she wouldn’t be much of a threat
now. If they had both been in peak condition, then he might have had to risk his life
for the first time in a few centuries, but he didn’t think that he would lose now.
Part of Ugkas’ confidence also came from the fact that Sipakna was already beginning
to recover.

Glug glug…

Dozens of his tentacles had already regenerated, and the rest were rapidly
recovering.

This was natural.

After all, Sipakna’s regenerative abilities were by far the best among all the Dukes.
Even Ugkas wasn’t sure how severe an injury would have to be to kill it.

Kran stared at Ugkas for a moment before speaking in an angry voice.

“If I was your target, then you should have come to me directly instead of your
childish rampage.”

“In the end, I was still able to kill two birds with one stone. I killed a lot of humans
and found you.”

“It seems like that disgusting mindset will never change.”

After saying that, Kran drew his sword and Sedi tightened her grip on her staff.

Seeing this, Kran turned to her and spoke.

“In your current state, you’ll only get in the way. So you should run.”

Naturally, Sedi would never let such words slide.

With a vehement glare, she snapped back at him.

“Don’t be ridiculous. With your skills, it would be impossible to take the two of them
on on your own.”
“You’re really good at talking despite being near death.”

This was their first meeting, and yet, even though they’d only met each other a few
minutes before, their relationship was already strained.

If her condition had been better, Sedi would have definitely dealt with this arrogant
human first.

But after she had this though, Sedi sighed.

“That hunk of metal is tough. If you don’t use a lot of strength, your sword won’t even
be able to scratch him. He has a lot of fighting experience, and he knows how to
remain calm. I don’t know what kind of losers you’ve dealt with so far, but you’d
better not treat that guy like a normal Demon.”

“…”

This time, Kran listened to her without retorting. Although her words were still
rough, he could tell that she was giving him advice about the upcoming fight.

“The slug is an insidious bastard. Keep your eyes peeled because it will constantly
target your openings with its tentacles. You should also be mindful of the fluid that
they spit out. It’s extremely corrosive. On top of that, the tentacles regenerate
extremely quickly.”

Kran seemed to think about something for a moment before finally opening his
mouth.

“You still haven’t mentioned the most important thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Your current condition.”

“…”

Sedi frowned. That left a bad taste in her mouth.

“It’s bad, but I’m not yet at a stage where you’d have to worry.”
“I’ll pretend to believe your bluff.”

“Just focus on yourself.”

At that moment, the temporary ceasefire, which hadn’t lasted that long, finally came
to an end.

Sipakna had finished regenerating. As soon as Ugkas realised this, he immediately

charged forward and Kran and Sedi took up their stances.

Kran at the front and Sedi at the back.

Clang!

“…!”

Ugkas was shocked for a moment.

His charge, which wouldn’t stop even after he’d destroyed dozens of giant buildings,
had been blocked.

This was the second time he’d felt this way. It felt like he’d been blocked by a wall so
strong that the word ‘firm’ was an understatement.

“…you weren’t lying. If I had tried to conserve my strength, I’d have been ripped
apart.”

Gold light glimmered within Kran’s eyes. His skin became black, and fangs protruded
from his lips. Horns also began growing from his forehead.

This was Kran’s true appearance. That of a hybrid.

The moment he realised Ugkas was about to charge, he completed his

transformation.

Concentrating his strength to the tips of his toes, Kran tried to push Ugkas back, but
it was by no means easy.

Instead, it was his body that was slowly being pushed backward.
‘He can still push me back when I’m in this form?’

Just as Kran clenched his jaws and tensed his muscles…

Squelch-

Dozens of tentacles shot towards him.

But before these tentacles could hit Kran’s defenseless body, Sedi stepped in.

Crack crack crack!

The staff in her hand seemed to bend and wave, but it was simply moving so fast that
it had created such an illusion. Sedi destroyed the dozens of tentacles launched by
the duke as though they were merely stalks of seaweed.

This sight startled Kran for a moment, but he was able to quickly regain his focus and
concentrate the strength of his body once more.

“…hup!”

Then, Ugkas’ massive body was pushed away. No, to be precise, it was Ugkas himself
who had widened the distance.

It was possible that the last charge was simply to gauge Kran’s strength.

The first stalemate of the battle had been reached. Looking away from their enemies
for a moment, Sedi and Kran exchanged glances.

It was Sedi who laughed first.

“How are you feeling, brat? That little exchange didn’t scare you, did it?”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

Kran retorted coldly before looking away.

At first glance, it seemed that they were just as obnoxious as before, but inwardly.

‘…if it’s this guy’

‘…I guess I can rely on her.’

They were both thinking the same thing at the same time.

***

Within the black sky and clouds, where there wasn’t even the slightest hint of light, it
felt as though he was wandering in a dark abyss.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t difficult for him to find his target.

Not because of the intense demonic energy that billowed from his body.

But because of the devilish energy that he could sense.

Lukas was looking at his back. But he was looking down.

He wasn’t sure what he was looking at.

Nevertheless, he suppressed his curiosity and struggled for a bit before finally
opening his mouth.

“The Warrior King Fist has changed a lot from what I remember.”

After saying those words, Lukas suddenly had the urge to burst into laughter.

In the past, while he was floating in the Abyss with only the darkness to keep him
company, he had dreamed of reuniting with his closest friends.

He knew that his chances of meeting them were extremely slim. After all, he’d spent
a ridiculously long time there. But there was no one there who could judge him for
his delusions.

The possibility was next to impossible. Nevertheless, he continued to fantasise about

what he would do if he was able to meet them again.

Truthfully, he could no longer remember the conclusion of those thoughts. It had

been far too long ago.

…Nevertheless, there was one thing of which he could be certain.

At the very least, the things he was about to say next would never have been in that
conclusion.

“I’m not talking about the power. Instead, it has become a martial art that can no
longer be called the Warrior King Fist. Because the basis has been twisted.”

Lukas held back his sigh.

He had already made up his mind, so he wasn’t about to back down now.

The being currently standing in front of him was an enemy.

“In the past, you created the Warrior King Fist to kill Demigods. It was the martial art
of the weak, the martial art created to allow humans to fight against absurdly
powerful beings… But what about that attack?”

Lukas’ voice slowly became filled with anger.

“An attack that reaches its target even from a vast distance and shows no regard for
the hundreds or thousands of innocents that might be caught in its path. Such an
attack could only have been created for mass destruction. When did the Warrior
King Fist become the art of killing, Kasajin?”

[A long time ago.]

For the first time, the Demon King, Kasajin, responded.

“…hundreds of people died in your attack just now.”

[Right.]

“You must have killed even more humans than that.”

[That’s right.]

He simply nodded his head.

Lukas couldn’t help but sigh.

“So the reason we risked our lives in the past was only worth that much.”
Fwoosh-

Mana began to billow around Lukas’ body, and blue light flashed in his eyes.

“There is one last thing I want to ask you.”

[Say it.]

“…if I asked you what happened, would you tell me?”

[…]

At those words, Kasajin closed his eyes for a moment.

His expression remained the same, so Lukas had no idea what he was thinking.

Then, he slowly opened his mouth.

[No.]

“…”

Those were the last words.

The Magic Warrior King, Kasajin.

The Great Mage, Lukas.

Two heroes from another world who had stood shoulder to shoulder in the past and
fought countless battles together.

So began the fight that only one of them would survive.

It was a terrible defeat.

In fact, it was a miracle that they had even managed to keep their lives.

This fact caused Lukas to bite his lip.

“…dammit.”

What had gone wrong?

The moment he thought this, the reasons began to pour into his head like a stream.

First, he hadn’t understood his opponent’s powers well enough.

Second, he had been too prideful.

And third, he’d refused to recognise the difference in power between his side and
their opponent.

They shouldn’t have kept fighting. After the first deadlock, they should have run
away without looking back.

But they hadn’t.

And there was only one reason for this. Because Lukas didn’t make the decision.

The brains of the group should always maintain his cool at all times, but he hadn’t.

And because of that, they had suffered a defeat that he would never forget.

‘If you think about it, it’s natural.’

Humans. No, even bugs and insects have different strengths and weaknesses
depending on the individual.
Naturally, this rule also applied to Demigods.

But somehow, Lukas had missed this simple fact.

…Their defeat was all his fault.

“Lukas.”

After hearing the soft voice from behind him, he turned around.

There, he saw a woman illuminated by the moonlight.

“Iris.”

“Kasajin is awake.”

“Really?!”

Lukas hurriedly got to his feet. But Iris shook her head with a solemn expression.

“But the situation isn’t good. To be honest, it’s a miracle that he’s still alive.”

“…can nothing be done even with your and Schweiser’s knowledge?”

“The poison that Demigod used is made up of ingredients that don’t exist in this
world.”

That was true. If the poison had been made up of normal ingredients, they wouldn’t
have struggled to cure him.

It felt like the Demigod had used liquid death instead of simple poison. No matter
how skilled they were, in the face of this poison, it was meaningless. Even a Barrier
spell from Lukas, who had reached 9 stars long ago, had only been able to last a few
seconds.

…And Kasajin… had been drenched in the poison.

He rushed in front of Lukas and took the attack for him without any hesitation.

Lukas took a deep breath before slowly walking towards the cave.
There, he saw Kasajin lying on a temporary bed made of grass. He was sweating
profusely, and panting as though he had trouble breathing.

Iris was right. It was a miracle that he was still alive.

Lukas looked at the bed made of grass. These special detoxification plants that
Schweiser had taken from his own storage had already lost their fresh appearance,
and looked withered and purple instead.

“I’m not gonna die.”

A tired voice sounded.

It was Kasajin. He had turned his head to look at Lukas.

His voice shook slightly, and his eyes were unfocused.

“Kasajin.”

“This isn’t a bluff. I’m serious. I will choose where I die. This grass sick bed or
whatever isn’t worthy enough to become my grave.”

“That’s rude to Schweiser.”

“Kukuku…”

He knew that Kasajin was only pretending to be all right, but he didn’t mention it.

As if to prove my thoughts, Kasajin laughed for only a moment longer before he

began to cough heavily.

Wiping the blood on his lips with a handkerchief, Lukas opened his mouth.

“I believe you, so you better not die.”

“That’s natural. Whose body do you think this is? I’m the Punch King, the man who’s
gonna beat up all the Demigods.”

He smiled brightly, his white teeth stained with blood.

Lukas looked down at him for a moment before letting out a sigh. Then, a slight smile
spread across his lips.

“No matter how I look at it, that title of yours is just too tacky.”

“…then what about Fist King?”

Kasajin shook his head after saying those words.

“That can’t work. I don’t only fight with my fists.”

“Weren’t you just calling yourself the Punch King?”

“That’s why I want to change it.”

After thinking about it for a while, Lukas suddenly opened his mouth.

“How about Warrior King?… No, Magic Warrior King would be better.”

“What do you mean?”

“Among all the Warriors who can also use mana, you are by far the best.”

Kasajin frowned slightly.

“Hmm. That does sound like a good title.”

“I think it’s way better than Punch King at least.”

“Ah, I guess that’s true. Magic Warrior King… Magic Warrior King Kasajin. It
definitely has a nice ring to it.”

Kasajin muttered to himself for a few more moments before closing his eyes. Soon,
his breathing slowed down a bit.

It seems he’d fallen asleep again.

Lukas looked down at him before whispering solemnly.

“…this failure was caused by my incompetence. And yet, you still won’t blame me.”
“Right.”

Kasajin responded. However, his eyes were still closed, and his voice was soft,
making it seem like he might have just been sleep talking.

Nevertheless, Lukas couldn’t help but ask.

“Why?”

“Because I’m worried.”

“What?”

“Looking at you makes me worry. No one understands how you feel inside. Everyone
just relies on you. Stupid guys like me and the others. Royalty, Nobles, Commoners…
everyone is the same.”

“…”

“Even that woman outside, who pretends to not care about anything, is the same… all
she can think about is relying on you.”

He was talking about Iris.

Lukas was speechless for a moment. Kasajin’s words were true.

Schweiser, Iris, and even the stoic Lucid were all deeply dependent on Lukas. They
always believed that his choices were best.

“But that’s not really our fault either. After all, you’re the one who started this group,
who brought us all together. So you have to take responsibility for it. You have to
endure. Nevertheless…”

Kasajin’s voice began to fade.

“If you think you can’t handle it anymore, just tell me. I’ll help you.”

Kasajin seemed to truly fall asleep after saying those words.

Looking at his pale face and rapidly rising chest, Lukas felt his throat become tight
with emotion.

‘You can do it. This is what you were born to do.’

‘Lukas, you’re an amazing person.’

‘If it were for you, I could risk my life.’

The voice of his closest friends rang out in his head at that moment. Filled with
infinite amounts of trust, faith, and dependence in the human named ‘Lukas
Trowman’.

Of course, this didn’t mean that he didn’t like it.

…However, at the same time, those beliefs felt like unbearable pressure. It felt like
something he was unable to carry on his own, like his knees and back would break at
any moment.(1)

But he would never show that.

Because he didn’t want to betray their faith.

‘Right.’

He was just one of many.

Instead of relying on him unilaterally, maybe it would be better for them to support
each other.
Kasajin’s punch.

He was able to see it coming, but his body was unable to react in time.

Bang!

Lukas’ body crashed into the ground, immediately creating a crater similar to one
formed when a meteor landed.

Crunch.

Covered in dust, he got back to his feet. For a moment, he couldn’t help but feel that
it was fortunate no one was there to see him in such a sorry state.

Lukas slowly raised his head and looked towards the sky with a heavy expression.

‘This reminds me of the old days.’

It had been so long ago that he could only barely recall those memories. His
memories were like an old, worn diary, a wilting rose beside a flowing stream.

He recalled the time when he was still human.

Before he had ‘reincarnated’ and became ‘Frey Blake’.

A time when the weight of the title Great Mage was still heavy and their struggle was
at its hardest.

[Nine times out of ten.]

As he said those words in a deep voice, Kasajin slowly descended to the ground.

The sight of the pitch black devilish energy swirling around his body made it
impossible to even think that he was human, even if only symbolically.
[If memory serves, that is my win rate in our fights in the past.]

“…”

[As you can see, I’m much stronger than I was back then, Lukas. The ‘Magic Warrior
King Kasajin’ has evolved even further and become the ‘Demon King Kasajin’.]

“What are you trying to say?”

[The ‘Great Mage Lukas’ cannot put even a single scratch on my body.]

His cold voice rang out, like a judge declaring a sentence.

[The Lukas that you need to show me now is the Absolute. If you truly intend to fight
and even defeat me, then you will have to give your all.]

Lukas hadn’t used any of his Absolute power. Of course, Kasajin already knew the
reason for this.

He knew that he was trying to protect this universe. But he didn’t think that was the
wisest decision at this moment.

“Lord is dead.”

Lukas finally opened his mouth, speaking slowly.

“I killed him with my own hands. Now, there is only one Demigod left in our world.
Hey Kasajin, do you remember what you said that time? About how great it would be
if there was even a single good Demigod. We talked about it in the past.”

[…]

“There really was one… 4,000 years later, one appeared. A Demigod who sided with
humans and thought the Demigods were wrong.”

[I didn’t ask.]

Kasajin spread out his arms.

In the Warrior King Fist, there were dozens of stances that one could take to unleash
a host of attacks.

Lukas was confident that he knew most if not all of them, but this was his first time
seeing this stance.

His legs were spread apart, and his arms were outstretched, as if he was taunting
Lukas to attack him.

The stance appeared so defenseless that it didn’t seem like something one would
take during a fight.

Kasajin then added in a nonchalant manner.

[I’m not even a little curious.]

Crackle.

Dark energy began to converge on his palms in an ominous manner before slowly
taking shape.

It was devilish energy.

This was a type of external force that could only be used by Absolutes who were
greatly favored by the Black Horned Demon God.

It was a symbol that proved an Absolute’s authority in any universe, time, and space.

Rumble!

Lukas could feel the universe begin to cry out, and naturally, the source of its
torment was Kasajin. The space around him began to twist and bend.

Crack crack!

Then, cracks began to form.

The dimension was beginning to collapse as power far beyond what the universe
was capable of withstanding was forcefully exerted.

“Kasajin—!”
Just as Lukas roared angrily.

Boom!

Kasajin punched forward, causing an enormous explosion of sound to rip through

the area, as though hundreds of lightning bolts had struck the same place at the
same time.

The roar rippled out in every direction, so powerful that even the word ‘explosion’
did not do it any justice.

The devilish energy from Kasajin’s hands began to take shape, and soon, it
transformed into the face of a screaming ghost.

This was the same technique that had been used to destroy the Korea Branch
Headquarters.

Looking at this ghost face that was slowly approaching him, Lukas grit his teeth.

—The external force of an Absolute was like a blade.

A blade that could render any armor useless.

The only thing that could be used against this blade was a blade of similar power.

Paht!

An explosion of blue light erupted from Lukas’ body.

The bright light soon covered the sky, and it seemed that it was about to destroy the
black clouds. But that wasn’t the case. After being pushed back for a moment, the
black clouds began to violently clash with the bright blue light.

[Your Absolute Field cannot withstand my devilish energy.]

Crash!

He was right.

The absolute space that Lukas had just created cracked before shattering like a pane
of glass.

Boom!

Subsequently, the face of the screaming ghost crashed into Lukas’ chest. The force of
the blow sent him flying hundreds of meters, and it seemed that if he didn’t do
anything, he would fly out of the city.

Crack!

In an instant, dozens of walls of ice appeared behind him in a row. Of course, they
weren’t an attack. Instead, every time his body crashed through an ice wall, he lost a
bit of momentum.

Two walls.

He barely managed to stop himself, leaving only two of the dozens of ice walls
remaining.

“Gurk…”

Nevertheless, his condition wasn’t good. His stomach burned as though he had
swallowed molten lava. And above all, his entire body was filled with an intense
stabbing pain. It felt like he was being gnawed on by tens of thousands of insects.

[Is this your answer, Lukas?]

The Demon King looked down at Lukas as he muttered these words.

The devilish energy that he’d just unleashed was many times stronger than what
he’d used to attack the Korea Headquarters.

It was not something that could be blocked with just the power of the Great Mage.

A moment ago, Lukas had used his external force. And yet, the space around him was
still stable.

Kasajin sighed, showing emotion for the first time.

[To bear the burden of this space on your own. I’m sure this method would prevent
this dimension from imploding. But I doubt any Absolute would have ever thought of
such a thing, regardless of how simple it is.]

Kasajin could tell.

Just what the results of Lukas’ method would be.

[After all, it’s only a temporary measure. It’s like wielding a hiltless sword with your
bare hands. And as a result…]

Lukas’ skin shook slightly before it began to crack like porcelain.

[Your life force will slowly be depleted.]

Clang!

He blocked the fist of Ugkas, who was charging forward like a wild beast, with his
sword.

There were no weak points on his metal body.

His body was like an absolute barrier with durability similar to that of a reinforced
iron wall, but at the same time, it could play the role of a spear that could pierce
through any obstacle.

Of course, this was natural.

If his body could be broken or damaged by normal weapons or attacks, he would

have been defeated long ago.

‘At least his joints are relatively weak.’

It was difficult to pinpoint those spots during their chaotic melee, but at least this
meant that he wasn’t invincible.

Nevertheless, the current situation was not good.

In fact, it would be safe to call it the worst.

Clang!

Ugkas’ fist and Kran’s sword clashed heavily once again. The blade creaked, and
sparks flew in every direction.

Crack.

This sword, too, had been unable to survive more than 10 clashes before it broke.

Nevertheless, Kran didn’t feel any remorse for the weapons he lost. He simply threw
away the broken sword in his hand before taking out another.

‘I brought a lot, but I’m starting to run low.’

When he was preparing, he’d thought he’d brought too many, but now, he regretted
not packing a few more weapons.

Clang!

Clang

The fight continued.

Kran and Ugkas appeared to be locked in a toe-to-toe battle.

Or, at least, that would have been the case if they were the only ones there.

Guluk guk.

Sipakna.

With an appearance that perfectly suited the title ‘Monstrous Duke(1)’ constantly
launching attacks at Kran with his tentacles and Sedi desperately blocking them.

Kran was so focused that he couldn’t afford to look away for even a second.

Nevertheless, he could tell that Sedi was nearing the limits of her stamina. After all,
her breathing was so loud and harsh that he could hear it even without consciously
trying to.

Suddenly.

“Ah!”

Juk!

Following Sedi’s cry, a tentacle grabbed Kran’s wrist,

This caused him to freeze for a moment, and naturally, Ugkas would not miss such an
opportunity.
His thick fingers were instantly imbued with demonic energy, causing them to
become even sharper than famed swords.

Warrior King Fist. Finger Sword.

Shuk.

Blood splattered, and Kran’s left arm was cut off in an instant.

The movement was so fast that it was almost impossible to see, but if his wrist hadn’t
been restrained, he would have been able to avoid it by a narrow margin.

Sedi realised this fact too as her expression hardened considerably.

Suppressing the excruciating pain, Kran turned back to look at her.

“Retreat for now!”

“What? Where?”

“Anywhere!”

After saying that, Kran flew off first, seemingly not caring if she followed him or not.
Sedi grit her teeth before destroying the tentacles nearest to her and going after him.

Fortunately, Kran helped to an extent.

“Do you think you can leave—?!”

Ugkas roared before charging after them.

But Kran and Sedi were already aware of his limited mobility. As long as they were
mindful of his explosive charges, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to outrun Ugkas.

As expected, not long after they devoted themselves to running away, they
completely disappeared from Ugkas’ sight.

Of course, this was only a temporary retreat.

After all, Kran had absolutely no intention of letting those two Dukes go.
“Hoo…”

After entering a dilapidated building, Kran collapsed against the wall.

He then touched the stump of his severed arm while Sedi looked at him with a
complicated expression.

“…you… that arm…”

“It’ll grow back. It’ll only take some time.”

“…”

“You shouldn’t be able to fight them in your current state. So we’ll take a break while
my arm regenerates.”

Krrr…

The sound of buildings collapsing could be heard in the distance. It was clear that
Ugkas was wantonly destroying the buildings in the area.

“Sorry.”

Sedi clenched her small fists before speaking in a small voice.

“Why are you apologising?”

“You got hurt because of me.”

“I expected something like this to happen.”

Kran simply dismissed her apology before concentrating on regenerating his injury.
If it was an ordinary injury, it would have only taken a few minutes to heal, but the
surface of the wound was stained with Ugkas’ demonic energy. In this state, there
was no way for him to forcibly regenerate his arm. Even if it would take much longer,
he had to disperse the demonic energy first.

“Ah. Fine.”

Sedi pouted slightly before taking a seat of her own.

Kran glanced at her for a moment, but he didn’t say anything. He never thought of
blaming her. Because he knew just how tired she was.

‘This is a difficult situation.’

Nevertheless, it was going according to his expectations.

Kran had used a large number of soul crystals that he’d obtained in Africa to become
even stronger than he was before. The true capacity of his demonic energy had
increased by at least thirty percent.

Nevertheless, despite his increase in power, he was still only able to fight toe-to-toe
with Ugkas.

The Five Dukes turned out to be much stronger than he’d originally thought.

This thought caused him to remember the things that happened in Africa.

‘…if it hadn’t been for that guy’s help, I would have died in my fight with Gullard.’

After thinking this, a question appeared in his mind.

Then why did Ringo send him to fight Gullard on his own?

Up until that point, she had never designated a target who was too much for Kran to
handle.

Africa and Korea.

If he hadn’t met Lukas and Sedi respectively, then Kran would probably have died
without a proper fight.

‘Did she know that there would be people to help me?’

…Unfortunately, he would never be able to think of an answer on his own.

Kran decided to put his questions aside for now and instead focused on the current
situation.

A battle against two of the Five Dukes.

It was possible that this fight would become more disadvantageous the more time
passed.

That was why he’d put all of his energy into the first battle, hoping to end things
quickly.

‘And yet, Ugkas was able to perfectly block all of my attacks.’

He hadn’t expected his body to be so goddamn hard.

Krrr…

Once again, they heard the sound of a building collapsing.

They couldn’t stay there for long. So far, the Dukes were still focused on them, but
Kran didn’t know if they would soon change their minds and slaughter the innocent
civilians.

After all, there were still many people in Busan.

“If we go back and fight now, we will have to settle it as soon as possible.”

“You’re right. But the problem is that we can’t do that. We don’t have the firepower to
break through the tin can’s defenses.”

Sedi bit her lip after saying those words, the feeling of helplessness making her
shudder.

She never would have imagined that there would be a time when she became a
burden for a human.

Kran didn’t notice Sedi’s inner turmoil as he suddenly spoke.

“I have a way.”

“…”

Sedi narrowed her eyes.

Why hadn’t he used it before?

This thought popped into her mind. Nevertheless, she didn’t say what she was
thinking.

Kran was a seasoned fighter. His instantaneous judgment and combat sense were all
at a high level.

If he hadn’t used it yet, then there was certainly a good reason for that.

“It takes about five to ten seconds of concentration before I can use it. It also doesn’t
have a long range, so I’ll have to be close to him.”

“Ten seconds…”

Sedi frowned slightly at those words.

…Naturally, this meant that she would need to buy him ten seconds against two of
the Five Dukes. Unfortunately, such a task sounded no better than suicide in her
current condition.

Regardless of whether Kran was aware of that fact or not, he nodded his head
slightly before continuing,

“It would be hard. So I was thinking about using a different strategy.”

“What is it?”

“That…”

Kran then detailed the plan he had just envisioned.

As he continued speaking, Sedi’s expression gradually began to change before finally

settling on a strange combination of confusion and disbelief.

“…are you serious?”

“This isn’t the time for jokes.”

Boom!

As if to hasten Sedi’s answer, the sound of a building being destroyed came from a
short distance away.

In the first place, she didn’t really have much of a choice. Ruffling her already
disheveled hair, Sedi finally replied.

“Dammit. I guess I don’t have a choice. But don’t blame me if you die.”

“I definitely won’t die.”

At that moment, Kran looked down at his left hand. The regeneration was complete.
Kran smiled for a moment before slightly shaking his arm, which was covered in a
sticky liquid.

“Until I’ve killed every single Demon.”

“…”

Sedi frowned slightly before turning her head away.

Ugkas’ rage didn’t last very long.

This was because he realised Kran hadn’t run away completely but was instead
hiding and waiting for another opportunity to strike.

“How interesting.”

Did he intend to hunt two of the Five Dukes?

Suddenly, Ugkas’ lips twisted into a sneer.

This was because Kran had stepped out of the ruins of a building and was slowly
walking towards him at a calm pace.

“What are you up to now?”

He asked this question while tilting his head to the side.

“It would have been better for you to hide and wait for an opportunity. Haven’t you
already realised that you can’t face me head-on?”

“…”

“Or… did you come to buy time for that little girl to run away? That would be an
incredibly foolish decision. After all, you are the one we were after from the start…”

“The Five Dukes do talk a lot. Gullard was the same.”

Ugkas’ eyes narrowed slightly at those words.

Kran turned to look at Sipakna, who was slithering behind Ugkas, before saying.

“What’s wrong, Iron Duke? Are you not confident that you can defeat me on your
own?”
“That’s such a disappointing attempt at provocation.”

Ugkas shook his head slowly.

It was only then when he had a vague sense of what Kran was thinking.

“You’ll fight on your own, so only one of us should fight you… Is that what you’re
trying to say?”

“And if it is?”

“Kukuku.”

Ugkas chuckled.

“Naturally, I don’t think I could lose to you even if I were to fight you on my own. And
it would even be a fun battle. However…”

Demonic energy erupted from his metal body as a sharp glint appeared in his eyes.

“My personal feelings will never take precedence over the Demon King’s orders.
Sipakna.”

Paht!

As Sipakna slithered forward with its tentacles waving slightly, Ugkas once again
took the opening stance of the Warrior King Fist.

Kran looked at these two Dukes in front of him, feeling an intense pressure that was
incomparable to what he’d felt before. It felt like his entire body was being weighed
down.

‘That brat is stronger than I thought.’

Sedi.

After releasing most of her demonic energy, she had become so weak that even
standing was an issue, and yet, she had still been able to assist him.

But Kran realised that if he had been fighting these two Dukes from the start, he
would have been overpowered in an instant, even if he used all of his power.

‘…subdue.’

In truth, Ugkas had a similar thought at that moment. However, there was a reason
why Kran was not easy to deal with.

Kasajin had ordered that Kran was not to be killed. And the King’s orders were not
something that could be ignored.

This meant that Ugkas had to subdue this hybrid as unscathed as possible.

Juk!

A large number of tentacles shot towards Kran. The momentum of this attack was
much stronger than before. Perhaps Sipakna was also annoyed.

Click-

Kran took an item out of his pocket.

This was something that would never be used by Demons, but Ugkas was still able to
identify what it was.

A grenade.

Kran pulled the pin of the grenade with his teeth before throwing it at the
approaching tentacles.

“Be careful.”

Ugkas reminded Sipakna. After all, there was no way that he would throw a normal
grenade at a Duke.

Sipakna must have had a similar thought as it withdrew its tentacles in an instant.

Boom!

But it was only after this when they realised their predictions had been wrong.
The item that Kran had thrown was just an ordinary grenade. It was a modern
weapon with considerable lethality and firepower, but it was by no means strong
enough to harm a high-ranking Demon.

Naturally, this meant that they didn’t even leave so much as a scratch on Sipakna’s
tentacles.

But that didn’t matter as Kran was able to achieve his intentions.

Taht!

He kicked off from the ground and quickly closed the distance between them. Seeing
this, Ugkas raised his defenses and prepared to take Kran’s attack, but Kran went
right past him.

‘Is he aiming for Sipakna?’

Was it because he couldn’t get through his metal skin?

Ugkas suppressed a condescending chuckle that threatened to escape at this

thought.

Because Kran’s wishes would still not come through.

Shung.

Kran drew a new weapon. This time, he brought out a Kukri, a short sword with a
curved blade.

Slash!

The Kukri seemed to become a blur, and in an instant, dozens of tentacles fell to the
ground almost at the same time.

Nevertheless, Kran’s momentum didn’t decrease in the slightest.

He continued to narrow the distance to Sipakna with explosive speed.

Spurt!
Suddenly, several of the tentacles that were surrounding him spat out their corrosive
acid at the same time.

However, Kran still refused to stop. Instead, he simply lifted an arm to block the
incoming liquid.

“What?”

Ugkas was shocked by this.

Was he not going to avoid it?

Tsss!

Immediately after coming into contact with the liquid, Kran’s left arm began to melt.

***

His demonized skin, which was many times stronger than even the best armor, was
meaningless in the face of Sipakna’s acid.

‘Don’t tell me he’s trying to get himself killed—”

Just as this absurd thought appeared in Ugkas’ head…

Swish.

Kran swung the Kukri in his right hand.

And in the next instant, the Kukri cut through its target without any resistance. It
was his own left arm.

Shuk.

His left arm was cut off once again. This was a first for Kran, who had been through
all kinds of hardships throughout his life. He had never lost arms in such a short
period before.

‘…and it was my left arm both times.’

Nevertheless, it was just a pointless thought. Especially in such a tense situation.

Shaking off his useless thoughts, Kran suddenly kicked his swiftly melting arm into
the air.

The severed left arm soared up into the sky.

Taht.

And it was only then that Sedi, who had been waiting on the rooftop of a nearby
building, made her appearance. She shot towards Kran’s left arm, which was quickly
rising up to meet her, before lifting her staff and swinging it with all her might.

In volleyball terms, it was the perfect set that led to a powerful spike.

Paak!

The target of this severed left arm was none other than the face of a surprised Ugkas.

“K-, kuh!!!”

Ugkas stumbled backwards with a scream, covering his face. It was clear that his face
was rapidly melting.

“It worked!”

Sedi couldn’t help but cry out in delight.

She couldn’t believe that Kran’s ridiculous plan had actually worked!

“I told you it was possible.”

Kran muttered with a calm voice, but in truth, he had also been unsure of whether
his plan would work or not.

He had only remembered hearing before that metals were particularly weak to acid,
so he assumed that they could use their opponents’ powers against them.

Sedi looked at Kran with an appraising expression.

‘This guy is tougher than I thought.’

She truly admired this blunt human.

Regardless of if they could regenerate or not, no one in their right mind would think
about putting acid on their hand and cutting it off before throwing it at their enemy.

‘This isn’t the time to be thinking about this.’

Sedi charged towards Sipakna, shouting.

“I’ll hold this slug back, so go finish that guy off!”

Before she had even begun to shout, Kran had already made his preparations. From
his bag, he retrieved a gun.

It was a rusty revolver, and from its design, it appeared to be an old model.

“What the hell is that?”

“My trump card.”

As he answered, Kran loaded the gun with bullets.

Not too quickly or too slowly, just one bullet at a time.

This scene caused Sedi to furrow her brows slightly.

“You… If you mess up this opportunity, we’re both gonna die, you know?”

“I know that already, so just shut up. You’re distracting me.”

“No matter how I look at it, I can’t imagine you piercing that guy’s skin with a gun.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew how much effort it took just to make a single
bullet.”

Kran would never use this weapon if his opponent wasn’t one of the Five Dukes. It
was simply not worth it.
Click.

After filling the chamber with bullets, he muttered.

“Burnout.”

Kooo-

Suddenly, white fog began to flow out of the revolver before taking the blurry shape.
After a short moment, dozens of red eyes appeared.

[The… payment…?]

Kran answered in a low voice.

“Blood.”

[Under… stood…]

Crack.

The fog then engulfed Kran’s arm.

“Kuh…”

By the end of the day, he would probably have no arms left.

Kran couldn’t help but have this thought as he glared at Ugkas.

“Kuh, ah, ack…”

Ugkas was still holding his face while groaning in pain.

Nevertheless, Kran didn’t think he would remain in that condition for very long.

This meant that he would have to finish this as soon as possible. Even at the moment,
Ugkas’ demonic energy was slowly regaining strength.

Kran slowly lifted his gun. As he did, his arm muscles began to tremble violently. It
was as if this gun, which was only about as large as a dumbbell, weighed as much as
a mountain.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to worry about aiming. After all, Ugkas was very close to
him, so it would be impossible for him to miss his shot.

Nevertheless, for courtesy’s sake, he did his best to aim for the heart.

—And pulled the trigger.

Boom!

The sound wasn’t something an old-fashioned revolver should have been able to
make.

Unable to withstand the force of the explosion, the revolver broke apart as a large
black bullet shot out, cutting through the scattered pieces.

Puk—

And when it reached Ugkas, it made a dull sound.

It was a sound that one would have easily ignored.

“…”
Ugkas was no longer groaning in agony. Instead, he slowly looked down at his chest
in disbelief.

A big hole.

In the place where his heart should have been, there was a big hole, large enough
that an adult man’s fist could easily fit.

“Gurk.”

Ugkas spat out a mouthful of blood before falling to the ground.

“Is it finally over?”

Just as a panting Sedi asked this question.

Sss…

Sipakna suddenly stopped attacking.

Instead, it withdrew its hundreds of tentacles and opened its enormous mouth.

Screech!

“…!”

When Sedi froze for a moment in surprise, it quickly sent its tentacles out and picked
up Ugkas before immediately running away.

“You bastard!… Ugh!”

Kran tried to chase after him, but he was suddenly hit by a wave of dizziness and
stumbled. The side effects were much worse than he expected. He felt incredibly
dizzy, and his stomach churned heavily. Unable to resist the urge to vomit, he
collapsed to one knee.

Sedi shook her head and smiled bitterly as she approached him.

“Do you want to chase after him? That would be really hard.”
“I know that. However…”

“You don’t think it’s over. Is that it?”

“…”

“Relax. That tin can is on the verge of death. His death is nothing short of a fact.”

Sedi, who had been relatively proficient in the domain of death in the past, was
almost certain.

That the Iron Duke, Ugkas, would die.

Kran was someone who couldn’t believe something unless he saw it with his own
eyes. Nevertheless, even though he was skeptical about Sedi’s words, he still had to
regain his strength before he could move.

“Hoo…”

“Is that weapon you just used disposable?”

“Right.”

As he nodded, Kran looked down at the pieces of the completely destroyed revolver.

This gun was actually a high-grade magical item and had been reinforced by all kinds
of spells and runes, but it still could not withstand a single bullet before being
smashed to bits.

‘If it really did manage to kill one of the five Dukes, then it would be worth it, but…”

It bothered him that Sipakna had escaped with the body.

…They had to chase after them.

Just as Kran had managed to stabilise his condition enough to stand on his feet…

Kaboom!

At that moment, a deafening explosion ripped through the air.

For a moment, Kran couldn’t help but wonder if the sky had fallen.

“What was that…?”

He looked up at the sky with a blank expression on his face. This was the first time
that he’d been so shocked by a simple sound. However, the explosion had been so
loud that his shock was not strange at all.

After all, just that single explosion had been loud enough to tear the eardrums of
anyone who heard it.

Kaboom!

However, this sound came once again.

It was like tens of thousands of fireworks had all exploded at the same time.

Of course, the scene that unfolded in the dark sky after this sound was not as
beautiful as fireworks. With every explosion, it looked like the sky was trembling.

As she watched the sight, Sedi muttered in a low voice.

“It seems that they’ve finally started fighting in earnest.”

“Started fighting? Who are you talking about?”

“Human and Demon.”

…The Absolutes that represented them.

Sedi swallowed her last words. She knew it wasn’t a concept that a mortal like Kran
would be able to understand.

Kaboom…! Boom!

Sounds similar to thunder rippled through the sky again and again.

Kran focused as much as he could as he looked up at the pitch black sky.

And beyond the faintly flickering clouds, what appeared to be the shadows of two
beings were occasionally revealed.

He could easily guess the identity of one of them.

And that was a monster who had destroyed half of the Korea Branch Headquarters
with just two punches. A being Kran would never want to face.

The Demon King.

The one facing him seemed to have a small physique that was similar to a human’s.
He couldn’t be sure since he was only looking at their shadows, but against the
Demon King’s incredible stature, it seemed that this figure was in a precarious
situation.

Bang!

Suddenly, a spark from the sky struck the ground like a bolt of lightning. Just the
force being exerted from this spark caused a ten story building that appeared to be
in relatively good condition to immediately collapse to the ground.

That wasn’t all.

When the spark hit the ground, it caused the ground to shake and crack as if there
was an earthquake.

“…”

Cold sweat immediately began to run down Kran’s face.

This was nothing more than the aftermath of the fight between the two beings in the
clouds. A stray fragment of an attack.

And yet, this stray attack had been able to completely destroy an entire area.

“…wouldn’t it be better for us to find cover?”

“Cover? Where? Now that they’ve started fighting, there is no safe place on this
planet.”

Sedi grinned slightly as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest.
“Maybe you should pray. Pray that none of the stray sparks from their fight hit us.”

***

Each of the Five Dukes had a special ability that no other Demon Duke had.

For Gullard, it was his ‘wings’.

For Ugkas, it was his ‘skin’.

His skin could be described as the most powerful mortal defense, and it bordered on
the realm of transcendent. It was capable of blocking any martial art, spell, or curse.

An invincible shield that he had been certain would never break.

And yet, this shield had now suffered irreparable damage.

“Gurk!”

He spat out a mouthful of blood.

The feeling of his body slowly cooling down was very strange for him. Ugkas realised
that he was gradually becoming more and more sleepy, and he knew that if he were
to close his eyes, he would never open them again.

In other words, he was going to die here today.

‘In such a vain way… ’

He couldn’t help but feel that it was too harsh a price to pay for just a moment’s
carelessness.

Ugkas lamented this fact, but he didn’t know.

He didn’t know that most things lost their lives due to a moment’s carelessness. For
beings like the Five Dukes, who were born innately strong, their deaths usually only
came from such circumstances.

Suddenly…
Guruk guk.

Sipakna, who hadn’t said a single word since their arrival, opened its mouth.

[Mission… continuation… difficult…]

It slowly spat out those words.

Ugkas’ eyes widened in surprise.

Although he knew that Sipakna was intelligent, this was his first time actually
hearing it speak.

But the words that it spoke were even more shocking.

[You… are now… no longer… useful. And soon… you… will… die. So…]

Sipakna’s mouth widened considerably.

[I… will eat… you.]

At those words, Ugkas’ shock slowly wore off. And his eyes, which had been widened
in surprise, grew calm.

Guguk guk.

Sipakna’s mouth continued to expand until it was many times its size. No matter how
hard its teeth were, it wouldn’t be able to break through Ugkas’ skin.

However, it would be possible to swallow him whole and slowly melt him with its
acid.

With its large mouth, swallowing Ugkas whole would be no trouble at all.

“I see. So I wasn’t your insurance. You were my insurance.”

He calmly looked at the hundreds of spinning teeth.

…If it is the King’s will…

Ugkas slowly closed his eyes while muttering.

“Eat well, Sipakna. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Sipakna didn’t respond.

Crack! Crack!

And the intraspecies predation began.

Min Ha-rin looked up at the sky. It was already approaching noon, but the sun was
nowhere in sight. However, by now, she no longer found this strange.

Krrr…!

A flash of light seemed to streak across the pitch-black sky, but it disappeared even
faster than it appeared.

At that moment, the sky and the ground were both shaking violently, as though it
was the dimension itself that was shaking.

‘Master… ’

The dense mana reverberation that she could feel beyond the dark clouds definitely
belonged to Lukas.

As for the identity of the being whom he was fiercely fighting, that was easy enough
to guess.

‘The Demon who destroyed the Korea Headquarters.’

It was at least one of the five dukes or maybe even something stronger than that.

Suddenly.

“Let go… of me…!”

Slei, who was in her arms, began to struggle.

His arms, which had been severed, and his body, which had not even been half of his
torso, had already regenerated.

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but recall the scene.

A human like Slei possessed super fast regeneration, an ability that was usually only
found in high ranking Demon Nobles.

This fact caused her to feel slightly disgusted. It felt like this old man was not a
human but instead some other being who was wearing human skin.

‘I knew he was going to wake up sooner or later.’

Nevertheless, he had regained consciousness much faster than Min Ha-rin expected.

“Bishop…!”

“You’ve awoken!”

The believers all shouted enthusiastically.

This fact seemed to disgust Min Ha-rin even more. Her eyes became cold.

“Don’t move.”

After his regeneration, Slei might have appeared fine, but the deep sense of fatigue
that filled his entire body was not alleviated. He was still in pretty bad condition.

Slei coughed up blood a few times before shouting angrily.

“Do you know what you’re doing?! I’m the leader of the Church of Eternal Life…!”

“More like a con artist.”

“How dare you…?!”

“Even if I let you go, what could you do? Do you have the power to change this
situation?”

“Of course I do!”

Min Ha-rin’s lips twisted into a sneer.

“Open your eyes properly and look up at the sky.”

“…”
“Do you see them? Those beings fighting beyond the clouds. Could you stop their
fight? Could you step in?”

Slei was speechless for a moment. He lowered his head in thought and began to
mutter in a low voice.

“Arid… I need Arid. As long as I have that child’s power, I will have nothing to fear…
My, my wounds and my pain will all disappear.”

This man had lost his mind. No. He was completely insane.

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but stand to her feet, throwing Slei to the ground.

“Huk.”

The image of an old man rolling helplessly on the ground would certainly have
invoked some sense of sympathy in those who saw it, but Min Ha-rin didn’t feel even
the slightest hint of it.

“If you dare move, your Bishop will lose his life right here in front of you.”

She wasn’t joking.

Feeling the sincerity in her voice, the believers couldn’t muster up the courage to
approach Slei.

Contrary to her cold and unshakeable expression, Min Ha-rin’s insides were
churning.

‘Ha-min, Ha-yun… ’

She was worried about the current status of her younger siblings.

…She couldn’t help but wonder if they were seriously injured or, even worse, dead.

Min Ha-rin would never forgive Slei.

“Tell your believers to stop trying to confront the Demons. Let them take the
wounded and run away.”
“I can’t do that.”

“Do you really intend to sacrifice everyone here?”

“They will not suffer…! This is the death they all want…!”

“That’s because they were all instigated and fooled by you. They don’t understand
what they’re doing.”

“Shut up! What do you know…”

Suddenly.

Slei’s body began to shake.

“This… What the hell is this ominous power?”

“What are you playing at?”

“No. It’s not like that. Something is coming.”

“What?”

Slei didn’t respond to the question, and instead, his eyes widened in dismay.

He was looking up at the sky.

‘The sky…?’

Following his gaze, Min Ha-rin also looked up at the sky.

“…!”

Just in time to see something huge falling down.

Boom!

The ground immediately shattered, sending bits of stone flying in every direction. A
dust cloud was immediately formed.
The force of the impact was so strong that it caused Min Ha-rin and the believers to
lose their balance and stumble.

Squelch.

Something shot out from the dust cloud.

Without even taking the time to think about it, Min Ha-rin threw herself backwards,
rolling a few times across the ground.

She had chosen to dodge instead of block whatever it was. In hindsight, this
instinctive judgement had probably saved her life.

Crack!

“K-, uhh…”

“Kuk… kuruk…”

Those who hadn’t tried to dodge or those who hadn’t realised what was happening
were slowly lifted into the sky with their hearts pierced. In fact, even the believers
who had tried to block the attack had died.

What the hell happened…?

Min Ha-rin gulped slightly in fear of the unknown.

Finally, as the dust cloud slowly subsided, the appearance of the attacker was
revealed.

“…”

It was a monster.

A huge, terrifying creature that was difficult to describe in words.

To put it bluntly, the giant monster appeared to be some kind of mixture between a
slug and a centipede, with a mouth that seemed to take up almost half of its torso,
and hundreds of wriggling tentacles that seemed to take the place for feet.
However, the thing that stood out the most was the monster’s skin. No, it would be
more accurate to call it a carapace.

The carapace glistened like metal, but it looked even stronger than that.

[So… hungry…]

Sipakna, the Monstrous Duke, said these words slowly as it pulled one of the dozen
or so believers that had been pierced by its tentacles into its mouth. Its mouth, which
was already grotesquely large, seemed to expand even further.

Crunch, crunch…

A disgusting sound came from its mouth as spurts of blood shot past its teeth.

“Believers…! This is one of the Five Dukes!”

Slei shouted out in a wicked voice.

“The path to paradise has opened! Show me your bravery!”

“Ohhh…!!”

“The Bishop has shown us the way!”

The believers started rushing towards Sipakna as though they had been waiting for
those words. They looked exactly like moths rushing towards a flame.

Slei then immediately turned and ran away without even the slightest hesitation.

This sight filled Min Ha-rin with rage.

This was so ridiculous that she couldn’t even laugh. The one who was urging their
believers to kill themselves probably feared death more than anyone else in the
world.

She didn’t even think about chasing after him. Min Ha-rin would never be able to
turn her back on this tragedy.

“What should I do?”

Slei ran away, and the believers were all dying.

If she were to run away now, then she would be no better than Slei.

However, fighting this monster would be no different from suicide.

‘Because I’m too weak… ’

If she was strong enough, then she would have been able to defeat this monster.

Just as Min Ha-rin clenched her fist helplessly.

Paht!

A bright flash of light came from above.

***

He knew Lukas Trowman.

Clang!

Kasajin’s fist swung towards Lukas again.

Once again, there was contact. In truth, when fighting against him, it wouldn’t be
strange if his opponents were to explode into bits of flesh and blood after his attacks,
but that wasn’t the case now.

“…”

Lukas turned to look at him.

Even from the moment the fight had begun, Kasajin had yet to receive any damage.
No spell he used seemed to be able to pierce through his devilish energy. Because of
this, the fight began to take a one-sided appearance, and it seemed that it would end
at any moment.

His long-time friend would soon die by his hand.

Or, at least, that was how it seemed.

‘—how long had it been since I had that thought?’

One step.

It would only take one more step to kill Lukas, but he couldn’t do it.

That thought appeared in his head again.

He knew Lukas Trowman.

Lukas wasn’t the type to fight a battle that he had no chance of winning, and he was
the type to find a way to reverse the positions even if he was so disadvantaged that
he couldn’t even lift a finger.

At the very least, this guy was not someone he could defeat without using every
ounce of his strength.

After all, it was only because he was such a man that Kasajin had been willing to risk
his life for him in the past.

‘He is up to something.’

He was using his external force, but he was bearing the burden with his soul.

But it couldn’t be just that. Kasajin could tell just by looking at his eyes.

Lukas was hiding something. It was just that he couldn’t tell what exactly he was
hiding.

However, the reason he was so concerned about it was because he knew Lukas’s
personality well, and he knew…

‘’It might be able to threaten me.’

It wasn’t easy for a mortal to become an Absolute. In fact, it was easier to say that it
was almost impossible. Especially for humans who were nothing more than worms
in the eyes of most cosmic species.

It was a different matter for beings like him, who had completely abandoned their
humanity by accepting other powers and twisting their beliefs.
‘You haven’t changed.’

Lukas, on the other hand, had become an Absolute without changing ‘himself’. And
as an Absolute, Kasajin knew just how hard that was.

Of course, there were still some things that changed.

The Lukas of the past was not so taciturn. He had his fears, and he made mistakes.

In other words, he was human, imperfect.

‘The only Absolute who favours humans, Madman.’

Truly, that title fits him well.

Babump.

Kasajin felt his heart thump loudly for the first time in tens of thousands of years. In
fact, the feeling was so strange that it even took him by surprise. After all, he’d
thought that he’d lost his emotions a very long time ago, but it seemed that there
were still some left over.

In his heart, an emotion that shouldn’t have existed within Demon King Kasajin
began to rear its head.

It was an eruption of fighting spirit.

‘I want to fight him.’

He didn’t want to one-sidedly hit a guy who was worrying about the universe as
Lukas was now.

He wanted to fight against Lukas Trowman as he gave it his all.

[…]

Kasajin stopped attacking and stepped back. Instead of launching an attack of his
own, Lukas, who had been focused on defense, also took a step back.

The first one to open his mouth was Kasajin.

[I want to make a proposal.]

“A proposal?”

Lukas raised an eyebrow.

“That’s unexpected. Isn’t it much simpler to try to kill me now?”

[No. It would be a much harder and uncertain path. After all, I don’t know how many
poisonous daggers you are hiding away.]

“…”

Even in the past, he had been well known for his animal-like instincts.

That was why he had always been slightly wary of whatever trump cards Lukas was
hiding.

He was certain of their presence.

After staying silent for a while, Lukas opened his mouth.

“Tell me about this proposal.”

[My reason for coming to this land was to retrieve one of the Top Three, Kran. He is a
Hybrid, and he is the only one of the three who can be considered perfect.]

“Do you intend to use Kran to deceive the laws of this universe?”

[The laws of this universe are of no importance to me. I don’t care about this world’s
balance or whether this dimension collapses or not.]

That was true.

Unlike Lukas, Kasajin had never tried to restrain his powers.

“Then why do you want to take Kran?”

[That man will be an important element in commencing the Great Game. He is also
an indispensable component in order for me to achieve the orders I was given.]
“…what are you trying to say?”

[It won’t be a bad thing for you either. Give him to me. Then the amount of Absolute
energy this universe can handle will increase to an absurd extent. In other words…]

For the first time, Kasajin’s lips twisted into a terrifying facsimile of a smile.

[You and I will be able to fight to our hearts’ content.]

Kasajin had said earlier that his win rate against Lukas was ninety percent.

In other words, out of ten fights, he won nine times.

However, this win rate would be completely different if their fights weren’t always
governed by ‘sparring rules’. After all, it couldn’t be said Kasajin was much stronger
than Lukas, if at all.

This wasn’t a simple comparison between a normal Wizard and Magic Warrior.
Lukas’ true strength could only be displayed on a battlefield where his life was on
the line.

Fearsome concentration, composure, situational awareness, quick thinking, and,

most importantly, fanatical desire for victory.

These were traits that truly made Lukas who he was, traits that were impossible to
properly showcase in a light-hearted spar.

‘Because there is no risk to his life.’

Naturally, there was no reason for them to risk their lives to fight each other back
then.

However, it was different now.

Demon King Kasajin and Absolute Lukas had completely different beliefs. Conflicting
beliefs.

“What do you intend to do to Kran?”

[Kill him.]

Kasajin answered truthfully.

[It was destined from the moment he was born. You could even call it his fate.]
Fate.

“You used to hate that word.”

[That, too, is a thing of the past.]

Lukas shook his head.

“I refuse.”

[Why?]

“Because I don’t believe you.”

[I don’t have any reason to lie. If there was something I wanted to hide, then I
wouldn’t have mentioned it in the first place.]

“…”

[Isn’t my proposal beneficial to you as well? Look at yourself. In your current state,
you probably wouldn’t even be a match for Nodiesop.]

His words were true.

If the tolerance of the universe was to increase, the person who would have the most
to gain would be Lukas.

However, he couldn’t just believe the words of Demon King Kasajin, the right hand of
the Black Horned Demon God.

‘At least that was the truth.’

The fact that he hadn’t overtly told any lies.

And that he would never mention it if he had something to hide.

“Tell me everything you’re hiding. If you can’t do that, then I can’t accept your offer.”

Of course, Kasajin would never do what Lukas requested.

Instead, he spoke in a blunt tone.

[Is there really no room for negotiation?]

“…”

[However, it doesn’t matter, Lukas. Because I don’t care about your opinion.]

“So you want to fight again?”

[No. I’ve already made up my mind. I won’t fight you until this universe becomes a
proper ‘field’.]

As if to prove his words, the aura radiating from Kasajin’s body disappeared. It
seemed that he really didn’t have any intention of fighting Lukas at that moment.

[Kran will fall into my hands even if I just wait here.]

“Because of the Five Dukes? It won’t be easy.”

[You have that much faith in Sedi Glaston? Well, it certainly was a good idea to use
her now that she’s a mortal. But she alone won’t be enough.]

Kasajin looked down while muttering.

[Do you think that was all I had up my sleeve?]

***

The flash of light flew to the ground before wrapping itself around Sipakna’s body
like a chain, binding his movements.

Min Ha-rin’s mouth unconsciously fell open at the sudden development.

“Now!”

Following the urgent cry, a sharp streak of light appeared.

It was a man wielding a sword.

The man fell from the sky at an astonishing speed, his sword pointed towards
Sipakna, and his cloak billowing heroically behind him.

It was almost as if his sword and body had combined to form a divine spear.

Crack!

Nevertheless, his fierce attack was for naught. Instead of piercing through and
slaying the large monster, the man’s sword broke apart.

But the man didn’t seem surprised by this. He simply clicked his tongue and threw a
grenade into Sipakna’s mouth as he retreated.

Boom!

In an instant, Sipakna’s body swelled up like an inflated balloon. After the loud
explosion, black smoke began to billow from its enormous mouth.

But that was all. Seemingly unaffected by the explosion, Sipakna twisted its body
violently, causing the chains of light around its body to shatter.

Then, a few of its tentacles shot towards the man.

Papapapa!

As he retreated, the man cut down the approaching tentacles with a kukri that had
seemingly appeared in his hand.

“…”

Min Ha-rin looked at this scene in shock.

The man’s movements had been smooth, fast, and powerful, without even the
slightest hesitation or excess.

Something that she wouldn’t be able to do even if her life depended on it.

In other words, they were on completely different levels.

“The monster merged with the other monster to become an even bigger monster.”
Suddenly, a familiar cynical voice sounded.

“Hoh, I’m surprised you’re still alive.”

Sedi.

She looked at Min Ha-rin with a slightly cold gaze, but it was only for a moment.
Immediately after making her presence known, she began to assist the man with the
staff in her hands.

The sight of hundreds of tentacles being fended off by only two people was so
amazing that it would make any onlooker speechless. This was especially true for
Min Ha-rin, who was only a short distance away from them.

“Are you alright?”

When she heard the concerned voice and turned around, she saw a person standing
there with an unbelievable appearance. Their pure white hair and white eyes made
them seem distinctly inhuman. In fact, it felt more like they were an angel of some
sort.

Their gentle voice matched their appearance perfectly.

“You…”

“I’m Arid.”

“Arid…”

“Yes.”

Arid smiled softly before continuing.

“We will take care of the Demon. So can you… Ah. I’m sorry, may I ask your name?”

“Min Ha-rin.”

“…then Miss Ha-rin, can you please help us evacuate the believers?”

“I’d love to, but the believers won’t listen to me.”

Min Ha-rin muttered in a sad voice.

“They won’t move without Bishop Slei’s orders.”

“They will listen to me.”

“You?”

Just as Arid nodded with a slightly stiff expression, a dazzling white light appeared
behind his back. This wasn’t an illusion. It was real.

A beautiful light covered his entire body, and for a moment, it truly seemed that an
angel had descended.

At that moment, Min Ha-rin realised who this person was.

“By chance… are you the real Saint?”

“…”

Arid didn’t answer immediately.

A lot of thoughts were swirling around in his head at that moment. To put it bluntly,
he was looking back on his life so far.

Then, after seemingly coming to a decision, he nodded his head in a determined

manner.

“Yeah. I’m the Saint of Salvation.”

Min Ha-rin, who had asked the question, would never be able to know.

Just how hard it was for Arid to say those words.

He turned away, his eyes drawn to the believers who were rushing towards the
Demon Duke, on their way to a meaningless death.

This was Slei’s sin, but at the same time, it was something that he had to atone for as
well.
[Believers.]

That single word was enough to cause the believers to stop.

[Please, heed my words.]

It was a voice similar to the one Slei used to incite the believers, but it felt much
holier than his.

[I humbly apologise, for our Church of Eternal Life has cheated and deceived you.]
As Arid made the believers listen to him by mixing his voice with ‘Brilliance’, Sedi
watched on with a sneer.

“I can’t believe he’s taking the time to persuade that trash. What a waste of energy.”

Kran inwardly agreed with that statement, but he didn’t show it.

Arid, the Saint of Salvation, was one of the Top Three.

He was born with an incredible power called Brilliance.

With his power, he had been able to heal Kran and Sedi, who had been severely
injured from their fight with Ugkas and Sipakna, in an instant.

It wasn’t just their injuries that were healed.

Even the fatigue that had built up in their bodies had disappeared.

‘Although, my demonic energy was not replenished.’

But asking for that as well would just be greedy.

Instead, they were grateful that Arid’s holy energy did not conflict with the demonic
energy in their bodies.

“Even if we regained our stamina, at this rate, we won’t win.”

“You’re right.”

Kran nodded at Sedi’s words.

At best, they could only cut off a few tentacles or slightly damage Sipakna’s new
metal shell. If nothing changed, they would be the ones to eventually be at a
disadvantage.
‘I’m slowly using up all my equipment.’

Out of all his weapons, which could pile up to form a mountain, Kran only had three
useful swords left.

“What about the gun that you used to take out the tin can? Can you use it again?”

“You make it sound easy.”

Those bullets weren’t items that he had tons of like normal bullets.

Of course, even if he had more, he couldn’t use it at the moment. This was because
despite his condition being better, he didn’t have the demonic energy to activate
Burnout.

No matter how good the car’s condition was, it wouldn’t be able to move without gas.

This was also the reason why he was fighting in his human form rather than his true,
demonic form.

‘…however, my regeneration is still available.’

Kran frowned slightly.

His opponent was one of the Five Dukes, and somehow, it had managed to obtain the
power of Ugkas as well.

In such a situation, he would have no choice but to gamble and risk his life.

He’d just thrown a demon grenade into its body, but it seemed to have only a slight
effect. This was proof that it had incredible defense or regenerative ability on the
outside and the inside.

“When I put the demon grenade in its mouth just now, it seemed to have an effect.”

“Do you intend to attack it from the inside? How?”

“By going inside of it.”

When Kran said those words, Sedi’s expression became strange.

“…you’re not thinking about actually going into its mouth, are you?”

“It seems you are a bit smart after all.”

It didn’t seem like he was joking.

At that moment, Sedi wanted to press her hands against her temples, but she
couldn’t afford to.

Sipakna had ‘consumed’ Ugkas. In other words, it had swallowed his extremely
durable body and digested it, either with its gastrointestinal fluids or some other
means.

And yet, Kran wanted to step into that monster’s mouth of his own volition.

“You’re really crazy.”

“My regeneration is still active. So it will be a gamble. Whether I can kill him first or
whether he can digest me first.”

“…”

His voice was cold, but when she looked at him, she realised that he wasn’t worried
at all.

‘I’m not the one who made him do it.’

So she had no reason to stop him.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Hold the tentacles back.”

Taht.

After saying that, Kran charged forward without waiting for a response.

Sedi clicked her tongue in annoyance before following him.

She lamented the fact that she had to deal with tentacles all day long.
However, their plan was thwarted before it could even commence.

Thump-

“…!”

As he ran forward, Kran suddenly collapsed.

It happened so quickly and without warning that even Sedi was shocked.

“Hey!”

Sedi rushed towards Kran, but before she could reach him, his body rose into the air
and flew somewhere.

It wasn’t to Sipakna. This large monster had also stopped moving. Its tentacles
remained frozen in place.

Pong-

Instead, it was a drop of water.

The drop of water slowly grew larger before finally taking on the appearance of a
man.

It was a face that Sedi was familiar with.

“This is a surprise. What brings you here? Did you come to look at the ocean?”

“Watch your mouth, mortal. Do you think you and I are still in the same position?”

Thud.

A huge amount of pressure weighed down Sedi’s shoulders. Her knees began to
creak, and her thighs felt like they would be torn apart.

Nevertheless, she refused to kneel. That was out of her pride as a former Absolute.

Instead, she spat out in a harsh voice.

“Nodiesop, did you decide to wag your tail for the Demon King in the end?”

Nodiesop sneered.

“It’s just an alliance. And even if I did, it’s still better than you, Sedi Glaston.”

“Kuk.”

“You fell from grace. No, you were stripped. I can’t even bear to look at you. If I were
you, I would have already killed myself by now.”

He shook his head slowly before spreading his arms.

“How about this? Instead of just killing you, I will completely destroy you. That way,
you won’t have to be stuck in the cycle of reincarnation. I think it is the best end for a
being who used to be an Absolute.”

“Enough of your bullshit.”

Even though she appeared calm as she said those words, Sedi’s hands, which were
wrapped around the staff, were white.

To say that this situation was the worst would be an understatement,

It would probably be better to fight ten Sipaknas at the same time.

Nodiesop didn’t need to rest or sleep.

Sedi, who was now a mortal, had no chance of defeating him.

‘I don’t know what to do, Father.’

A drop of sweat rolled down the back of Sedi’s neck.

‘I think I really might die this time.’

***

In a ruined city sat beneath an ominous black sky, unknown screams ripped through
the air and mysterious vibrations shook the ground.
In this place, which seemed like a world on the brink of destruction, a melancholic
voice resounded.

[The souls you saw were not your family members.]

The believers of the Church of Eternal Life stared at Arid with blank expressions.

This was their first time seeing Arid. Because Slei and Reika always made sure to
hide him away thoroughly.

Nevertheless, the believers instinctively felt that Arid was an extraordinary being.

The Brilliance which encapsulated his body was the best proof of that.

[I’m sorry.]

Arid apologised.

His voice was filled with sincerity and regret.

In the end, it was his indecisiveness that had caused the situation to become what it
was.

This wasn’t a hypocritical self-sacrifice. They were his genuine thoughts.

Swallowing the wave of remorse and regret, Arid continued.

[The souls you met were nothing more than copies of your loved ones’ personalities
that had been imprinted on wandering souls. They were no different from the
relatives you had and lost, but they were also not truly them. Our Church of Eternal
Life cheated and deceived you.]

“…what are you talking about?”

“Copies of their personalities? You deceived us?”

For the first time, the believers looked confused.

They looked at Arid with disbelieving expressions.

Their eyes widened, and their bodies shook. It was almost as if they were about to be
consumed by fear.

[I know that it might be hard to accept. I know the depth of your wounds.]

After saying that, Arid shook his head.

[No. I don’t know.]

It wasn’t something that he could understand.

[However, I know that it is unforgivable. That’s why I won’t ask for your forgiveness…
I will bear all the blame.]

It was then.

A middle-aged woman at the front of the group approached Arid.

“A-, are you the Saint?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“…liar.”

“Huh?”

“Stop lying!”

The woman’s face contorted to become like a demon’s as she charged towards Arid
and began to strangle him.

“Ku-, urk!”

“Y-, y-, yo-, you are just impersonating the Saint, aren’t you? D-, d-, do you think we
would fall for your tricks?! B-, Bishop would never lie to us…!”

He couldn’t breathe.

As he was being choked, Arid could see the fanatical belief that flashed in the
woman’s eyes.
It was only then when he realised just how deep the darkness in their hearts truly
was. Perhaps, in their hearts, they already knew the truth.

There’s no way that they couldn’t tell Arid’s identity by his hair, eyes, and the
brilliance that enveloped his body.

Nevertheless…

They did not want to accept it.

“H-, h-, heathen! This is blasphemy!”

As she shouted this, the middle-aged woman threw Arid to the ground.

Crack!

“Huk!”

Then she began to stomp on him. On his head, on his face. His cheeks quickly became
numb.

Most of his Brilliance had already been used, so he had no way to heal himself. His
white skin soon became covered in red blood.

But that was only the beginning.

It was as if a wind of madness had overtook the believers. The mob’s fear
transformed into a need for violence. Maybe it was because of the many things they
had been through that day, but it seemed that none of them were able to make
rational decisions.

“He’s the Devil’s servant!”

“Everyone, don’t be shaken!”

“O-, ohh. Bishop, Saint. Where the hell are you…?”

“Teach us! Show us the way!”

As they screamed madly, they stomped and beat his body.

Soon, he felt nothing but pain.

Nevertheless, it was the pain in his heart that hurt him more than the physical pain.

Tears began to flow from his white eyes.

Ahh… Grandfather.

You’ve done such a terrible thing.

After leaving the believers to Arid, Min Ha-rin had gone after Slei.

Fortunately, she was able to see his figure not too far in the distance.

He was crushed beneath the rubble of a collapsed building.

“Ah… Uhh… Ahhh…”

What happened to him?

Had the building collapsed without giving him time to escape? She wasn’t sure. And
in all honesty, she didn’t really care.

Nevertheless, Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel a bit nauseous when she went closer.

The rubble from the building had crushed the lower half of Slei’s body. With the state
he was in, it seemed that he was completely unable to move. From the blood that
pooled on the ground, it was clear that any normal person would have long since
died of these injuries.

Nevertheless, she didn’t think that Slei was going to die. After all, this old man had
monstrous vitality and regeneration capabilities. He had managed to fully recover
from a worse state than this one.

Of course, it wasn’t the sight of his crushed body that made her stomach turn.

Instead, the thing that truly disgusted her was the fact that he had sent everyone to
their deaths but he was now here, desperately trying to survive.

Seemingly noticing her presence, Slei turned to look at Min Ha-rin, a gleam
appearing within his eyes.

“P-, please help me.”

It was unbelievable.
Min Ha-rin was so shocked that she didn’t even feel angry.

“Help yourself.”

“I-, it’s impossible for me right now. Y-, you are a hunter, so you should be able to lift
this rubble, shouldn’t you?”

“…”

When Min Ha-rin didn’t respond, Slei’s voice became more desperate.

“P-, please. H-, h-, hu-, huk. I know you don’t like me. But I couldn’t help it. I’m sorry.
I’m really sorry…”

Crunch.

As she looked at the sniveling old man, Min Ha-rin didn’t feel even the slightest shred
of sympathy.

Instead, she became filled with rage.

This was because she knew. Slei was only pretending to be remorseful in order to get
her help.

‘…how?’

How could such a person exist?

She couldn’t believe that they were of the same race.

Min Ha-rin wished the old man in front of her had been a Demon. If he was, she
would have been able to slit his throat without even the slightest hesitation.

No. If that were the case…

‘What is the difference between a Demon and a human?’

Suddenly.

A muffled sound came from the distance.

It came from the place Min Ha-rin had left not so long ago. She turned and looked
towards the source of the noise, her expression becoming stiff.

Then, without a single word, she turned to look at Slei again.

As he looked at the cold expression on Min Ha-rin’s face, Slei felt fear.

‘…am I really scared of this little brat?’

Was it because he was injured? Because he no longer had any Brilliance?

No. It was neither of those.

It was because Min Ha-rin, who was looking down at him with an expressionless
face, seemed to be exuding an indescribable pressure.

As if to shake off his fear, Slei spoke in a cracked, desperate voice.

“M-, my grandson has special powers!”

“…”

“You must have seen it earlier, right? That child named Arid. H-, he was born from a
miracle. If there is anything you want, you can ask that child. For his grandfather, that
child, that child would give you anything…”

“So that man is your grandson.”

Krrr…

After saying that, Min Ha-rin lifted the debris that was crushing Slei’s body.

“H-, huh…?”

Slei’s eyes widened in surprise.

After all, he didn’t think she’d actually listen to him.

Unfortunately, he was right. Min Ha-rin hadn’t cleared away the rubble to save Slei’s
life.
Crack!

She grabbed Slei by the neck and began dragging him in a certain direction. The
direction of the previous explosion.

“L-, let go of me…!”

Slei began to struggle once again.

He realised that she was taking him towards a higher point.

Was this crazy bitch going to throw him off of a building?

When he had this thought, Slei’s heart sank. In his current condition, if he were to be
dropped from such a height, he really would die.

But Min Ha-rin didn’t throw Slei to the ground.

Instead, she stood at the top of the building and gestured towards a spot with her
chin.

“Look over there.”

“Where…?”

“There.”

Slei wasn’t sure where she was talking about at first. After all, his physical condition
was a mess and his vision was very blurry. However, after blinking and concentrating
for a few moments, he was able to properly look in the direction Min Ha-rin was
pointing at.

There, he saw a dozen or so people gathered in a cloud of dust.

He wasn’t entirely sure, but it seemed that they were excitedly stomping on
someone.

There was no mercy in their kicks and stomps, almost as if they were exacting
vengeance upon an enemy.
It was violence that could only stem from pure malice.

This was a sight that Slei had already seen many times before. He knew just how ugly
humans truly were, especially in extreme situations like this one. It wasn’t
uncommon for them to kill someone after just a few words or gestures.

Nevertheless, Slei’s expression soon hardened.

Because he realised who the victim of this violence was.

His grandson, Arid.

“W-, why?”

Slei’s voice shook slightly as he spoke.

“Why are they beating him up like that? W-, with that child’s powers, he shouldn’t
have a hard time dealing with a group of believers…”

“Your grandson was trying to persuade them. He wanted to clear up the

misunderstanding, atone for the wrongdoings, and, above all, save them. Unlike you,
who ran away because you wanted to save yourself, he faced the victims and
apologised.”

“…!”

Apologised? Arid?

But… that child…

“He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I don’t know much about your Church of Eternal Life. But it’s pretty obvious that
you used him.”

She had only met Arid for a brief moment, but she was able to see how innocent he
was from that single meeting.

If there was anyone who could be considered blameless in this situation, it would be
Arid.
There is no way such a person could cheat and deceive people. If that were the case,
then he would have run away with Slei without even thinking about persuading the
believers.

“Even if that person was guilty of something, it would be minuscule compared to

what you have done.”

Slei’s mind was blank at that moment.

She was right.

After all, Slei actually knew the truth, not just conjectures like Min Ha-rin.

Arid was the type who would always smile brightly and think about others before
himself, even in this cold, dark world… He was the Saint whom everyone longed for.

That was the type of person he was.

“What are you feeling right now?”

Min Ha-rin was genuinely curious.

She wondered how he felt as he watched his grandson be brutally beaten for
something he had done.

She wanted to know. She needed to know.

And when she heard his answer, then she would be able to decide.

Just how she would treat Slei.

***

Even kicks could kill a person.

As he lay huddled on the ground, Arid couldn’t help but have this thought.

At some point, it seemed the surroundings had calmed down. Of course, that wasn’t
truly the case.
The believers were still stomping on him with crazed expressions.

However, their gazes seemed to be far away.

‘…if my death can alleviate their anger… ’

Then he could give up his life without much regret.

But a thought suddenly occurred to him.

Was that really the fundamental reason for his actions?

Or was this some kind of hypocritical self-sacrifice in order to make himself feel
better?

‘But… I don’t know what else to do.’

He had never learned.

In all of his twenty or so years of life, he had never been taught how to think for
himself and draw his own conclusions.

Nevertheless, Arid knew one thing.

Choosing death in this situation was simply an escape.

He would just be running away from the tragic and horrific things that had happened
around him without even trying to think of a solution.

Suddenly.

He saw the feet of someone walking towards the group.

“Do you want me to tell you the answer?”

This being seemed to be responding to Arid’s internal question. Arid couldn’t see
who the owner of this voice was.

When he focused his blurred vision, he saw a middle-aged man in a leather biker
jacket.
Boom!

Then, lightning struck.

If the things that lit up the sky before were only sparks that imitated lightning, then
this was real lightning.

The white lightning was so bright that it seemed to burn his retinas. The believers of
the Church of Eternal Life were also sent flying in every direction.

Arid looked around with a shocked expression.

Crackle crackle…

Sparks of electricity danced around the middle aged man’s body.

“It’s really interesting. All the transcendent beings are crammed together in this tiny
land.”

Letip looked down at Arid, his eyes shining with amusement.

“Nice to meet you, Communicator.”

“Ugh… guh… kuh… huff, huff.”

“Cough, cough…”

The believers coughed up black smoke as they lay twitching on the ground.

They had been hit directly by the Absolute who was the right hand of the Lightning
God.

Letip.

Nevertheless, the only reason they were still alive was because Letip had perfect
control of his power.

However, he hadn’t held back out of mercy or sympathy.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“What the hell did you do to us?”

Some of the believers, who hadn’t been hit directly by the lightning, stared at him
with wary gazes.

Letip grinned and snapped his finger.

Crackle!

This action caused lightning to ‘shoot’ out of his fingers. In other words, the lightning
simply appeared out of thin air.

The bolt of lightning swept forward in a straight line, easily cutting those believers in
half.

In an instant, the believers died without even knowing what happened.

“Huh…?”

One of the survivors muttered dumbly.

This couldn’t be helped. After all, this was the first time he’d seen humans being
killed as easily as bugs.

More importantly, their deaths had been completely silent. It had happened so
quickly that they didn’t even get the chance to kick up a fuss or scream.

“I-, it’s a Demon!”

“Run away!” (TL: At least they’re running now…)

As if they had seen the God of Death himself, the believers all screamed and fled,
their actions creating a lot of noise.

And, unfortunately for them, the thing Letip disliked the most was noise.

Crackle!

A bolt of blue lightning shot out from Letip’s forehead before spreading out in every
direction. With a soft buzzing sound, it pierced the bodies of all the escaping
believers.

In an instant, a heavy silence seemed to fall upon the area.

“Now, it’s a bit quieter.”

Letip smiled contentedly before turning to Arid once again.

“Hi, there.”

Arid stared at Letip with a blank expression on his face.

Ironically, the only person who had survived the catastrophe was Arid, who had been
the target of malicious violence not so long before.

“What did you do…?”

“It’s much easier to have a conversation when the place is quiet, so I cleaned up the
area a little. Or would you rather move somewhere else entirely, Communicator?”

“Communicator…”

It was the first time he’d ever heard of such a title.

Letip didn’t seem particularly interested in Arid’s reaction. He simply stroked his
chin before nodding.

“Hmmm, your condition isn’t the best… but at least you’re still alive. That should be
good enough. It’s not like I’ll need you for long.”

“Huh…?”

Arid wasn’t sure what was going on, but his body suddenly floated into the air.

Wary of this strange person, he struggled helplessly in the air.

“W-, what do you intend to do?”

“Nothing much. I just need to take you with me.”

“Need to…? Sh-, shouldn’t you explain yourself first?”

“That’s fine. It’s not like telling you will change anything.”

“…”

For the first time in his life, Arid felt genuine fear.

This was truly a strange phenomenon.

Letip’s attitude has always been calm, gentle. His voice was soft, and a friendly smile
always hung from his lips.

Nevertheless, Arid was deathly afraid of this man in front of him.

He struggled more desperately, but his actions were meaningless. It was as if he was
bound by some kind of invisible rope.
‘S-, someone… Anyone… ’

Help me.

Just as that thought appeared in his mind…

“Stop.”

“…”

Letip turned his head and looked behind him.

There, he saw a man and a woman staring at him.

It was a heavily injured old man and a woman with a cold expression.

“Ah…”

Arid’s gaze turned to the old man.

Then, his eyes widened in surprise.

“G-, Grandfather.”

“Bishop Slei.”

Letip, on the other hand, displayed an expression of interest. He turned his body
completely to face him.

“I really enjoy watching your religious play. It’s very fun and interesting. Only
someone who has a good grasp of the dark side of humans could create such an
elaborate play…”

‘…he knows me.’

This fact weighed heavily on Slei’s heart.

He had used all of the remaining Brilliance in his body to heal his legs. In truth, even
standing was an extremely difficult task for him at that moment.
Nevertheless, Slei remained standing.

His eyes turned to Arid, his only grandson.

…The miracle child who had been born with the power of Brilliance.

At that moment, he couldn’t even make eye contact with this child.

Slei’s gaze returned to Letip.

“May I ask what you intend to do with that child?”

“That’s not something you need to know.”

“…Then I’ll change my question. After your ‘task’, what will you do to Arid?”

This was a question formed by Slei’s age and experience.

He knew that Letip would probably not lie to him. After all, there was no need for
him to do that. For him, the majority of humans, including Slei, was no different from
the dust floating in the air.

‘Absolute.’

This man was also an Absolute.

Just facing him right now was enough to cause his entire body to be drenched in cold
sweat. He wanted nothing more than to run away from this place as fast as he could.

But Slei suppressed that desire with superhuman patience.

For now, at least.

He didn’t want to show such a disgraceful and ugly appearance. At least not right
now.

“There are many ways to dispose of a tool after it has served its purpose.”

Letip smiled before pointing towards Arid.

“Is that why you’re standing in front of me right now? Because you’re anxious I’ll
damage or break your precious tool?”

Arid’s eyes clouded over at that remark. Then he slowly lowered his head.

Slei bit his lip at the sight.

He had never seen his grandson make that kind of expression before.

‘No.’

He had…

He must have seen it dozens, no, hundreds of times before.

And yet, Slei had turned a blind eye to it every single time, ignoring the hurt and
torment he begot to his own flesh and blood.

“That’s not it.”

Arid wasn’t a tool.

He might have thought so not so long ago, but no more.

“He is my grandson.”

There wasn’t a need for another reason.

The realisation of that simple fact was more than enough.

Even after suffering more than he ever had in his life today, it was only after seeing
Arid getting unfairly attacked as a result of his actions that he was able to realise
this.

Slei stared fiercely at Letip and took a firm step forward.

“I’m standing in front of you to save my grandson.”

“…”
Arid lifted his head and looked at Slei in disbelief.

Slei wished he could know what he was thinking at that moment. He wanted to ask.

There were a lot of things he wanted to say, a lot he wanted to apologise for.

But maybe…

“How touching. Your love towards your flesh and blood seems to have awoken.”

The touching reunion that Slei hoped for might never happen.

“However, it seems that you misunderstood what I meant when I asked you why you
were standing in front of me, so I’ll rephrase.”

Crackle.

Sparks bounced off of Letip’s body.

He slowly raised a finger.

“Why are you, a mortal whom I can crush and kill without even trying, standing in
front of me?”
For the vast majority of Absolutes, raw emotions like happiness or sadness were
blunted.

It wasn’t that they didn’t feel it. It was just that it felt muted like sound underwater.
To be more precise, it was like their emotions had been worn out.

This was because they had experienced many things over the years.

For them, life was but a never-ending journey, and the memories they had were like
scenes outside a window. Regardless of who it was, after seeing the same thing
hundreds of millions of times, you would become numb and tired of them.

The same was true for Nodiesop. Few things could make his heart move anymore.

That was why he was slowly enjoying himself this time.

For Absolutes like him, finding things like this, which could be considered ‘fun’ or
‘interesting’, was quite rare.

Crack!

With a flick of his wrist, he destroyed Sedi’s arm. Nodiesop felt a bit bad for that. It
was similar to the feeling one would have if one were to damage their favorite toy.

He couldn’t help but lament for a moment.

He should have been more careful.

Nevertheless, the pleasure that swept across his spine at that moment was clear.

Contrary to Nodiesop’s leisure thoughts, Sedi was a mess.

Of her limbs, only her left side was still in relatively good condition. Her right leg
dragged on the ground, and her right arm was now hanging limply at her side.
Now that she was a mortal, she couldn’t fix her limbs in the same way she used to in
the past.

In other words, for now, Sedi was crippled.

A former Absolute.

A being who had once stood at the peak of the multiverse had fallen from her
position and become a mortal.

Nevertheless, she continued struggling to survive, unwilling to accept death.

‘This is so disgraceful, disgusting.’

And stepping on a former Absolute like Sedi, slowly driving her to death, was a new
and enjoyable experience for Nodiesop.

“Why don’t you scream, or even beg a little? You never know. Maybe it will create a
bit of mercy or sympathy in my heart.”

“…fuck… you.”

Sedi forced those words through her gritted teeth as she panted heavily. Instead of
taking offense, Nodiesop simply laughed at her response.

After all, he didn’t want her to scream. In fact, had that truly been the case, his
excitement would have long since died down.

What Nodiesop really wanted was for Sedi to maintain her unyielding attitude until
she took her very last breath.

Churung-

A droplet of water began to form in the air. This water droplet was so small that it
was hard to see it unless one looked carefully.

Nevertheless, Sedi’s expression became a bit tense as she saw it.

“Huff, huff…”
At that moment, the only thing she could hear was her own labored breathing.

She was so focused at that moment that even the hair on her body had stood up. This
couldn’t be helped.

After all, she knew that this small droplet of water was more dangerous than
thousands of blades.

Piht-

Suddenly, the drop of water disappeared from her sight.

Sedi forcibly twisted her heavily injured body.

Despite her fast reaction, she felt the drop of water, which had just disappeared, fly
past her neck. She hadn’t been able to avoid it completely.

She felt her neck become warm as a throbbing pain appeared. Even without looking,
she knew that blood was flowing from her neck at that moment.

The neck was one of the vital points of a mortal body. If she hadn’t avoided that
attack, she might have died.

‘…no. That’s not true.’

Nodiesop had intentionally allowed her to survive.

He’d made sure to attack at a speed that she would barely be able to react to.

‘Son of a bitch.’

Sedi was furious.

He was toying with her.

If Nodiesop really wanted to kill her, Sedi would have already become a cold corpse
by now.

‘I have to catch him off guard.’

This factor usually created the most important variable to help the weak defeat the
strong.

But if the difference in power between the two sides was too large, then it would be
meaningless.

After all, nothing would change if a tiger decided to sleep in front of a baby.

‘Then why do I still not want to give up?’

Did she still expect help?

In reality, Lukas was the only one who could help her out of her current situation.

But she knew that he was also in a situation where he couldn’t easily care about
others.

More importantly.

‘It’s not that.’

Sedi shook her head.

She wasn’t waiting for anyone’s help.

The reason she was still struggling so desperately despite being toyed with and
humiliated by Nodiesop, was actually quite simple.

She just didn’t want to die.

She wanted to live.

Crack!

Her left foot, which had been the only thing supporting her body, was finally crushed
as well. No matter how powerful she might be, even Sedi couldn’t stand without her
legs. Helpless, she could only fall onto her face.

“Hoo.”
Nodiesop finally shook his head.

It had been fun, but it was time to put an end to it. After all, even as he had his fun, he
hadn’t forgotten his task. He glanced to the side.

Sipakna, one of the Five Dukes.

This monster in the shape of a slug had been watching on from the side with an
unconscious Kran bound by its tentacles.

It was waiting for Nodiesop to finish playing with Sedi.

“Thanks for letting me have some fun, Sedi Glaston. Now, I’ll send you on your way.”

Woowoong.

External force appeared around Nodiesop’s hand.

He had a sincere expression on his face.

He honestly believed that it was better for a former absolute to be completely

destroyed than for them to become a mortal and get caught in the cycle of
reincarnation.

And that was something that Nodiesop could do. With the external force that all
Absolutes could use, it would be quite easy to completely erase a soul from existence.

It was then that Sedi muttered.

“…wrong.”

“What was that?”

“You said my name wrong.”

Sedi spoke in a strained voice.

“My name… is Sedi Trowman.”

Nodiesop frowned at those words.

He knew who the surname Trowman came from.

“Pathetic.”

He sneered slightly.

Pop-

Then, droplets of water began to appear in the air.

These were much bigger than the ones before, and they were a deep red as if they
were made of blood instead of water.

All he had to do was shoot them forward.

And it would all be over…

But he couldn’t.

“…”

Nodiesop froze.

The drops of water that had condensed in the air all disappeared.

Sedi hadn’t taken her eyes off of him for a moment. So she noticed immediately.

Nodiesop’s expression had been relaxed before, but now his face was stiff.

Then, he slowly raised his head and looked at the sky.

As if controlled by an unknown force, Sedi imitated him.

In the instant that she saw the being standing above them.

“Ah…”

She subconsciously let out a soft cry.

“Haha.”
Which was immediately followed by a bout of weak laughter.

Why was he here?

Wasn’t he fighting the Demon King?

Did he accomplish his goal?

Even as all of these questions flashed in her mind, a warm sense of security filled her
body at that moment.

In that moment, she felt like she could no longer feel the intense pain that came from
every part of her body.

Right. This was what it felt like to be protected by someone.

‘I thought it would be disgusting or unsightly.’

It wasn’t.

Her mouth twitched slightly. Her heart felt strange, and for some reason, she felt
embarrassed.

Nevertheless, at that moment, she was really happy.

“…you were really, really late.”

Sedi looked up at the sky and smiled.

No.

“I almost died, Father.”

She looked up at Lukas and smiled.

Lukas slowly descended from the sky, landing just in front of Sedi. Then, he looked
down at the panting Sedi and spoke slowly.

“Thanks. For staying alive.”

“…ha. I’d appreciate it if you came faster next time.”

Sedi meant those words. Maybe it was because of Lukas appearance, but the tension
in her body had evaporated. The little strength she had left faded away, and her
eyelids drooped.

Noticing her fatigue, Lukas nodded.

“You can rest now.”

“…right. I’ll get some rest, then.”

Sedi lost consciousness immediately after saying those words.

She was very hurt, but at least she wasn’t at risk of dying at that moment.

“As expected, you act just like a human.”

This mocking voice came from none other than Nodiesop. His gaze swept over Lukas’
entire body.

Although he didn’t appear to be heavily injured, it couldn’t be said that he was in

good condition. This was natural. After all, he had just exchanged blows with the
Demon King.

‘But the fact that he came to this place… ’

Did that mean that he’d defeated Kasajin?

No.
At the very least, Nodiesop knew that such a thing was impossible.

He knew just how powerful Kasajin was, and he also knew that Lukas would never
use his full power in this universe.

Therefore, Lukas couldn’t defeat the Demon King.

Thud-

As if to confirm Nodiesop’s conjecture, Kasajin landed not too far away from him. His
body was overflowing with thick devilish energy.

Incidentally, the position Kasajin took was, unfortunately, behind Nodiesop.

Nodiesop wasn’t sure if it was a coincidence or not, but the positions of Lukas and
Kasajin gave the impression that they were surrounding him.

“You stopped your fight to come here. Did you decide to join hands?”

Although Nodiesop mentioned this possibility in a calm tone, his expression oozed
negativity.

If his assumption was indeed true, then the person who would be at the most risk in
this situation was none other than him.

However, the answer to his question didn’t come for either Lukas or Kasajin. Instead,
it came from a third party.

“They didn’t.”

Boom!

A white bolt of lightning struck the ground, and someone emerged from the resulting
dust cloud.

Nodiesop’s expression hardened, even more, when he saw this person.

It was Letip, the last Absolute to come to this universe.

“Why are you here?”

“Everyone else is here, so I came to see what you guys were up to. I’d feel lonely if I
got left out.”

“…”

“It was a joke. Don’t make that face.”

Letip snickered slightly.

Nodiesop frowned at his attitude.

“You’re on Lukas’ side, aren’t you?”

“You could say that. If two Absolutes decide to join forces to kill Lukas, then as a
neutral party, I have no choice but to help the weaker side.”

“Ha.”

Nodiesop sneered derisively.

His gaze turned to Kasajin.

“Demon King, didn’t you say that your goal was to kill Lukas? Why did it suddenly
change?”

[My goal hasn’t changed. It’s just been delayed slightly. I’m still going to use all I have
to kill Lukas.]

That absurd remark left Nodiesop speechless for a while.

[As for why I haven’t killed Letip… That’s because the Demon God didn’t want me to.]

“What?”

Demon God.

He was talking about the Black Horned Demon God.

Letip looked at Nodiesop with a smile.

“It’s the same for you, Nodiesop. The one you follow also wants you to follow my
orders while we’re here.”

“…him too…”

He knew it wasn’t a lie.

No matter how laid back Letip was, he wouldn’t dare to do that.

To tell a lie about a Ruler? No Absolute could even imagine doing something so crazy.

…Except for a psycho like Lukas.

“What the hell for?”

[Letip will explain everything later.]

Letip shrugged his shoulders as if to say that it couldn’t be helped, but Nodiesop
wasn’t so easily appeased.

“I don’t understand.”

“You, me, and the Demon King… all three of us follow different Rulers, and all of them
want the Madman to die.”

It was incredibly rare for the Rulers to agree on something. Of course, that didn’t
necessarily mean that they would work together. After all, just because they had the
same goal didn’t mean they had to join hands.

“…if my Master has ordered that I listen to you, then I naturally will. However, does
he need to hear what you intend to say?”

Nodiesop’s eyes were filled with killing intent.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just kill this guy before having a conversation among
ourselves?”

“No.”

Letip shook his head calmly.

“Unfortunately, Lukas is the key to what we’re about to hear. Without him, the
conversation can’t proceed.”

“…”

Nodiesop appeared unconvinced, but everyone else had already agreed.

Nevertheless, the most decisive reason for his acceptance was Kasajin’s reaction. The
Demon King, who was his only ally in this place, remained silent, so Nodiesop
decided to not argue any further.

Letip calmly looked around at the group.

It seemed that these three Absolutes with completely different personalities finally
understood.

“Then… let me get the tool first.”

Letip seemed to push his hand through space before pulling it out again.

When he pulled his hand out, in it was a human.

An unconscious, white-haired human.

A human that Lukas knew.

“Arid…?”

“That used to be its name.”

Letip spoke in a cheerful voice.

Anger appeared in Lukas’ eyes.

“What do you intend to do to him?”

“I have to use it.”

“What?”

Those who didn’t know Lukas wouldn’t have noticed that his expression became
colder the more Letip spoke.

Absolute Letip.

Despite the volatile situation, he had suddenly appeared between Lukas and Kasajin
in a bright flash of light.

In truth, Lukas was a bit happy when Letip first appeared. This was because he was
hostile towards Kasajin. If he were to participate in the fight, he would be a useful
card in turning this desperate situation around.

In fact, it was thanks to his appearance that he was able to come here so quickly,
which allowed him to prevent Sedi’s death.

Nevertheless, Lukas wasn’t entirely sure about his intentions yet…

‘I can’t trust him completely.’

Letip wasn’t an enemy, but he couldn’t be called an ally either.

Ttak-

Letip snapped his finger.

In an instant, a bolt of lightning shot out from his finger and into Arid’s body.

“Ahhhhh!”

Arid’s body began to shake as he let out a terrible scream.

This lightning bolt was no ordinary lightning bolt. Letip had injected a portion of his
external force into the lightning bolt. Had it been an ordinary mortal, they would
have immediately exploded.

In that regard, Arid’s power was great. He was able to resist Letip’s external force to
an extent.

However…

‘He can’t last much longer.’

If this continued, Arid would die.

Lukas looked at Letip.

“Stop.”

Letip responded without even turning to him.

“Why?”

“He might die if you continue.”

“That’s not for certain. I heard you had great faith in humans. Don’t you think he can
withstand this little pain? Is your title of Human Saviour just for show?”

“Do not abuse the word faith.”

“Kukuku.”

Letip chuckled, but he still didn’t stop the flow of the lightning.

“Then you should try stopping me yourself. Though, I’m not sure if our two friends
here would let you.”

“Sure.”

The actions that followed was something that even Letip hadn’t been able to predict.

Lukas really cast a spell at him after saying that.

“You really are a madman.”

As he dodged the spell, Letip recalled the name Lukas was given by the other
Absolutes.

He didn’t expect that he would risk breaking ties with him and giving the enemy a
chance just to protect a single human.

‘No.’
In a way, this response was natural.

After all, the reason he became an Absolute was to protect humans, so watching such
a scene directly conflicted with his identity as an Absolute.

‘His independence really is strong enough to make one envious.’

Letip shook his head.

“Hey, hey. Stop. I was just joking. The Communicator won’t die from something like
this. Besides, it won’t take that long… See? It’s already over.”

At those words, Lukas stopped attacking.

“Ah… u-, uhhh…”

Arid’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his mouth opened, allowing white
mist to pour out. This white mist then gathered together before taking the form of a
door that led to another space.

Letip looked at the door in admiration.

“Haha. It’s as amazing as I expected. I’ve seen quite a few Communicators by now,
but this one is by far the strongest!”

“…what did you do?”

“Connected this universe to another universe… Well, it’s not another universe, per se,
but more like a temporary dimension.”

“A temporary dimension?”

“Right. We should hurry. We wouldn’t want to keep them waiting for too long.”

Nodiesop’s expression hardened when he heard that.

He slowly turned his head and looked at the dimensional door.

“…do you mean that in there…”

“Right.”

At that moment, Lukas realised what he was about to say before Letip could even
open his mouth.

“The Rulers.”
Huge thrones.

No, calling them huge was not enough. This was because they were so large that they
far exceeded what a mortal being could conceive.

To put it in simple terms, every single one of these thrones was as large as a planet.

There were four of these thrones floating in this space.

It was a sight so magnificent that it would leave anyone who saw it speechless.

At first glance, it seemed that no one was sitting on these thrones, but Lukas and the
other Absolutes knew that wasn’t the case.

On each of these huge thrones sat a Ruler.

Of course, their physical bodies weren’t here.

There was an infinite number of universes in the multiverse, but there was no
universe that could hold all four of the Rulers at the same time.

Instead, they all sent their wills to this place.

Nevertheless, that was enough to place immense pressure on all of the Absolutes
who entered this space.

The Thunderous Lightning God.

The Black Horned Demon God.

The Sun God. (1)

And…

“…”
It was only then when Lukas realised something.

Although there were four thrones in this space, one of them was empty.

[Kneel.]

It was a heavy voice that said this word.

Letip knelt on one knee with a soft smile on his lips. Nodiesop also knelt with a
strange emotion on his face.

Only Lukas didn’t kneel. No. It wasn’t just Lukas.

Kasajin wasn’t kneeling, either.

“…”

The Black Horned Demon King was also sitting on one of the thrones. According to
Letip, Kasajin was his right hand, his Conqueror.

Nevertheless, Kasajin didn’t seem to have the slightest hint of subservience for the
Demon God.

Lukas felt that there might be some significance behind this fact, but he refrained
from making any hasty conclusions.

[All of the main characters have arrived.]

This voice was strangely heavy but also light at the same time, creating a
contradictory feeling.

This was a voice that Lukas had heard before.

[There are people I’ve met and people I’ve never seen before… But since we don’t
have any time to waste, let’s just skip the introductions and get straight to the point.]

The Thunderous Lightning God.

He seemed to be sitting on a throne made of pure gold.

[What I’m about to tell you is the will of us Rulers.]

‘Us’ Rulers.

Those words caught Lukas’ ear.

He knew very well how good the relationship between the four Rulers was.

They had been at odds for a very long time, and not once had they ever tried to
compromise or negotiate among themselves.

This was the fate of a Ruler.

For them, compromise was similar to lowering their head to another person. And for
Rulers, such a thing was tantamount to ‘denying the foundation of their existence’,
which was to ‘rule’ over all things.

In the first place, the reason they were praised as Rulers and were able to stand
above all Absolutes was because of their strong sense of independence that couldn’t
be influenced by any other being.

But now, all of the Rulers had agreed and were now going to tell them their unified
opinion.

“…”

Lukas’ expression subconsciously became more serious at that moment.

***

[The Great Game will begin soon.]

This remark was basically a statement.

The Lightning God’s voice seemed to have a strange compulsion in it, as though
anything he said would come to pass.

No matter how absurd it might have been.

[In fact, to be completely honest, it would have started already.]

It was another Ruler who said those words in a deep, gloomy voice.

It was probably the Ruler sitting on the black throne, the Black Horned Demon God.
He wasn’t visible, but Lukas could clearly feel the overwhelming killing intent that he
emitted.

[If it weren’t for your existence, Lukas Trowman.]

He was completely different from the Lightning God.

In fact, of all the Rulers, the killing intent that the Demon God had towards Lukas
was by far the strongest. If the other Rulers weren’t there, he probably would have
crushed him to dust already.

He was the Ruler who had the hardest time putting his murderous thoughts to rest.

[That isn’t something you were supposed to say.]

If lava had a voice, this was probably what it would sound like.

It was a calm voice, but it seemed to be filled with boundless heat.

The being sitting on the crimson throne was probably the Sun God.

This was Lukas’ first time meeting him personally, but he had heard many rumors
about this Ruler.

Sun Giants were special beings in the multiverse who were birthed directly from
solar bodies. They were one of the races that God had mentioned in the past who
were transcendent beings from birth.

Nevertheless, the being who sat on the crimson throne could be considered a mutant
among his race.

The Sun Giants in the multiverse were usually born with varying characteristics
depending on which body they were birthed from.

The Sun God had been birthed from a supergiant star, something that was incredibly
rare even in the multiverse.
In fact, the vast majority of Sun Giants hadn’t believed that he would be born.

This was because the temperature of the supergiant was so high that they believed
his entire body would melt before he, a fetus, could even begin to take shape.

In fact, the Sun God had taken an extremely long time to be born. He had been silent
for billions of years. (2)

And when most of the Sun Giants had all but forgot his existence, the supergiant star
suddenly stopped burning. This was quite strange. After all, the supergiant still had
much of its lifespan left.

Curious, the Sun Giants went to investigate the dying star and soon found a flickering
sign of life within its core.

Soon after they discovered him, immense flames erupted from the core and the Sun
God was born.

And in the aftermath of his birth, all living beings in that universe died. Although
there was a bit of a delay, no one had been able to escape the disaster.

This vast, expansive universe, the end of which was completely unknown, soon
became completely red simply because of the heat emitted from the Sun God’s body.

In an instant, there was only one living being in the entire universe.

‘The heat he radiates gets progressively stronger.’

There was no way to know how much time had passed since the Sun God had been
born. Likewise, no one knew just how hot he was now.

In any case, it was rumoured that his personality was considerably moderate among
the Rulers.

Of course, it could just be a meaningless rumour considering the extremely arrogant

Lightning God or the crazy, bloodthirsty Demon God.

[Respect the Lightning God. We already decided that he would be the one to
represent us. Demon God, do you intend to go back on your word?]
“…”

The Demon God fell silent at those words, and the Lightning God continued to speak
in a voice that carried a hint of laughter.

[As fun as it is to watch you two bicker, we should continue. This universe is quite
stifling, but… that won’t matter anymore. As soon as the Great Game is over, I won’t
have to see you anymore.]

“…there is one thing I’d like to ask.”

It was Nodiesop who started to speak.

The Lightning God asked as if he already knew what he wanted.

[Why are there only three of us here?]

(TL: I guess the author still intends to keep the last Ruler a secret. And it seems that
it’s the Ruler Nodiesop follows.)

(Note:

1. I changed Sun Giant to Sun God for two reasons, one to match the other Rulers,
and two because the author made ‘sun giants’ a race, but the title and the race name
can only really be translated as the same thing in English.

2. This isn’t too accurate, supergiants usually only survive for millions of years at
most.)
Nodiesop wasn’t surprised when the Lightning God asked his question for him.

After all, for beings as powerful as the Rulers, mind reading was as easy as breathing.

“Yes. I believe that the Seven Fanged Dragon God is not sitting on a throne… But if I
am mistaken, then please forgive me for my ignorance.”

Nodiesop.

In front of the Rulers, this normally arrogant Absolute had no choice but to lower his
head like a soldier before a king.

This was unavoidable, even if the one he was addressing was the Lightning God and
not the Ruler he followed, the Sun God. (TL: Guess I was wrong…)

[She doesn’t agree with us. Which is disappointing since I even made a nice throne
for her.]

“…”

[Nevertheless, since a majority of Rulers has agreed, we will proceed as planned. Of

course, it is possible that she will try to interfere… But we are doing our best to
prevent such a thing from happening.]

The Seven Fanged Dragon God.

She was the most mysterious of the four Rulers. Lukas had fought against Absolutes
many times before, but he had only ever faced Absolutes who followed her a handful
of times.

And even then, it had only been during the early days of him being an Absolute. Ever
since he’d become a Lord, he had never had any interactions with the Seven Fanged
Dragon God.

Because of that, for a while, he truly wondered whether she was hostile towards him
or not.

‘It shouldn’t be very far from that.’

Even if she wasn’t hostile towards him, the best and most realistic possibility would
be that she had an ‘indifferent’ attitude. After all, there was no reason for a Ruler to
look favorably at Lukas, who was wantonly messing up the balance of the multiverse.

[I’ll say it again. The Great Game is about to begin. However, the opening of the Game
is being delayed by you, Lukas.]

At that moment, everyone turned to look at Lukas.

Kung-

Pressure.

An immense pressure fell on his shoulders. It felt like he was carrying the weight of a
planet.

It was an incredibly difficult task to remain standing under the gazes of three Rulers.
This was especially so now that Lukas had drawn the backlash for using his external
force to his own body.

Nevertheless, there was no change to his expression. He continued to look at them

with a determined face, completely ignoring the small voice within him that was
trying to convince him to give in.

Not lowering his head to the strong was something Lukas was very familiar with.

‘It’s weird.’

He felt his heart begin to pound for the first time in a long while.

Lukas knew that it was his morale being boosted.

The heart of this Absolute, who had a reputation for not being shaken by anything,
was now beginning to stir as he was faced with the threat of these transcendent
beings known as Rulers.
For a moment, his vivid emotions caused him to feel like he had returned to his days
as a human.

[Kasajin was tasked by the Demon God to create a ‘battlefield’ suitable for the Great
Game. When this world becomes a battlefield, its tolerance will increase at an
explosive rate… which would be a good thing for you as well since you would be able
to use your power as you please. So why are you stopping him?]

“Before I answer your question, there is something I’d like to ask.”

“…”

Nodiesop couldn’t help but frown when he heard Lukas’ words.

He didn’t like the way Lukas continued to stand up straight in front of the Rulers and
even speak in an informal manner.

He didn’t know who started it, but the title ‘Madman’ really suited him well.

[What is it?]

“What would happen to this universe if it were to become a battlefield for the Great
Game?”

This question was particularly important for Lukas.

He had no idea what the Great Game was. He had been bluffing to Sedi as if he knew,
but in truth, everything he knew about the Great Game had come from the Lightning
God.

The most important thing for Lukas now was to protect the humans living in this
universe. But if he were to fight against Absolutes like Kasajin and Nodiesop, it
would definitely disrupt the balance of the universe.

In other words, by fighting to protect the humans, he would only be hastening their
demise.

That was why he needed to know exactly what the Great Game was.

[There’s no need to go around in circles. What you’re really curious about isn’t the
fate of this universe but the fate of the humans. Isn’t it?]

“…”

[Well, that’s fine. I’ll answer it anyway. Most of them will get an opportunity that
might not even come once in a lifetime.]

“…what do you mean?”

[There is a saying that heroes are born from turmoil. You can understand this in the
same way. When the Great Game begins, all beings within it will have a chance to
become an ‘Absolute’. No matter how weak or insignificant they might be.]

“…!”

Nodiesop was greatly shocked by those words.

This was because he knew how unlikely it was for even a single Absolute to be born
in a universe.

On the other hand, Kasajin and Letip didn’t appear surprised. Perhaps they already
knew about the Great Game.

Nevertheless, Lukas was paying attention to something else.

Opportunities like that are practically nonexistent for most humans. And considering
the ratio, it would be considered high if even ten people were to become Absolutes.

“Then what would happen to the rest of the humans, the weak?”

[They’ll die. Or worse.]

It was the Black Horned Demon God who answered his unasked question.

[The moment this little world becomes the battlefield for the Great Game, at least
half of the humans you are trying to protect will certainly die.]

“…”

As if taking turns, it was the Sun God who spoke next.

[And you, Lukas, will try to stop that.]

“Is that why you called me here? To get rid of me?”

[Kuku, what a cocky brat. We only sent our ‘wills’ here. You should know that they
alone won’t be enough to kill you.]

Naturally, he was right.

If that wasn’t the case, Lukas would never have stepped into this space with three
Rulers.

[Incidentally, there are now four Absolutes in this universe, each following a
different Ruler.]

The Lightning God added with a chuckle.

[Or following none at all.]

“…”

[In addition, all four Absolutes have different goals. Isn’t that so?]

That was true.

Kasajin and Nodiesop’s temporary alliance was already beginning to fray because of
their differing plans for Lukas. It was also the same for Letip, who had yet to reveal
his true intentions.

[However, we don’t want you to fight each other anymore. This universe will
definitely get destroyed if you continue, and it would be too annoying to create
another battlefield. So Kasajin, do what you must. Start doing your best to turn this
universe into a battlefield.]

Kasajin responded in a flat tone.

[…of course, I will. I intend to fulfill my promise to the Demon God.]

As expected.
Like Lukas, Kasajin also spoke to the Rulers in an informal manner. But surprisingly,
the Demon God didn’t seem bothered by it.

Was it because he was a Conqueror? No. That didn’t have anything to do with it.
Letip, who was also a Conqueror, was very polite to the Lightning God.

There seemed to be some kind of inside story between Kasajin and the Demon God.
Of course, knowing it wouldn’t change anything.

Kasajin would still be Lukas’ enemy, and his attitude probably wouldn’t change.

Nevertheless, Lukas couldn’t help but think about Kasajin. If this guy, who had never
cared about hierarchical relationships before, were to lower his head and act like an
obedient dog for the Demon God, he would have been incredibly disappointed,
regardless of whether they were enemies or not.

[That’s why we came up with a good idea. A way to allow everyone to get what they
want without disturbing the balance of this universe.]

“What’s that?”

[Qualifiers for the Great Game.]

Lukas narrowed his eyes slightly at the strange name.

[Lukas, if you win the Qualifiers, then we won’t touch this universe anymore. The
Demon God will even remove all of his creations.]

They would leave so easily?

When Lukas turned to look at the Demon God with a hint of disbelief, he heard his
deep voice.

[I swear on my authority.]

An agreement sworn on the authority of an Absolute was something that took effect
the moment it was said. Breaking this promise wouldn’t be lethal or cause them to
disappear, but they would still suffer from a corresponding penalty.

In other words, the Black Horned Demon God was speaking truthfully.
“What do you mean by ‘qualifiers’?”

[It’s nothing special. You will simply select a few persons from each faction who will
then fight against each other, and if your faction wins, that’s it.]

“By faction…”

[I’m referring to you, the Demon King, Nodiesop, and Letip.]

It was only then when Lukas realised what the Qualifiers were really about.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but ask again for confirmation.

“Are you saying that the four ‘factions’ will have a four-way battle?”

Although he was invisible, Lukas could feel the Lightning God nod.

[Exactly.]
Lukas decided to voice all the questions he had without holding anything back.

“It sounds like you’re saying the Absolutes will all pick a person or a group and will
only watch on without participating.”

[That’s not so. The Absolutes are also allowed to participate. Of course, your power
will have to be limited to an extent.]

“Then the faction that wins the competition…”

[Will at least be able to determine the fate of this universe.]

No one would object to this declaration.

Like Letip and Nodiesop, most Absolutes valued the words of the Rulers more than
their own lives. Even if a Ruler ordered them to die, they would accept it without
even a frown.

“Where will the qualifiers be held?”

[It’s already been created. It’s a personal space, an independent space that is
completely separate from this universe.]

Personal Space.

It was a special space that could only be created by those who had the power of
creation, which was rare among the Absolutes. However, for Rulers who stood at the
pinnacle of Absolutes, creating a personal space was a simple task.

The Lightning God chuckled slightly.

[I’m sure it will be a very interesting space.]

No ominous aura could be felt from the Lightning God’s laughter.

In fact, it felt like he was filled with innocent excitement as if anticipating a surprise.

Nevertheless, the words innocent and Ruler went together as well as oil and water.

“…”

Lukas couldn’t help but feel a bit uncomfortable.

The entire situation had suddenly shifted in his favor for seemingly no reason. And
this fact bothered him. Until just recently, he was still in a pretty bad situation.

The temporary alliance of the Demon King and Nodiesop was a great threat to him,
so much so that he had been prepared to use his trump card.

Then Letip appeared as if he had been waiting for the perfect timing. He quickly
mediated the extreme situation and took them to meet the Rulers.

And now, the Rulers seemed to be helping him overcome his desperate situation.

‘The Great Game is about to begin… ’

He didn’t know what it would be like.

Among the Absolutes in this universe, it was clear that Lukas was at the greatest
disadvantage. However, it was possible that the qualifiers for the Great Game could
become the tool that would help him overcome his disadvantages.

This was why he felt uncomfortable.

[Suspicious?]

It was the Sun God. The feeling of having his inner thoughts read was certainly not
pleasant. Nevertheless, regardless of how powerful the Rulers were, it was
impossible for them to truly read his mind with just their wills.

Lukas turned to the crimson throne.

“Right.”

[You should know that we wouldn’t go back on our word.]

“That’s no reason to not be suspicious.”

[…you truly are interesting.]

The Sun God’s deep voice carried a tinge of curiosity.

On the other hand, Nodiesop wasn’t too pleased to see such a reaction.

He’d thought that all the Rulers were hostile towards Lukas, but the only one who
actually expressed any hatred was the Black Horned Demon God.

The Lightning God had practically concealed this entire universe, concealing Lukas’
exact location from the other Rulers in the process. And now, the Sun God, who was
also a Ruler, was showing curiosity in him.

Of course, there was nothing Nodiesop could do about it.

He had no intention of expressing his dissatisfaction or questioning the actions of his

master, the Sun God.

[Five. Not counting yourselves, select five persons who will represent you in the
qualifiers. The entrance… Right, let’s set it in the place you all are now. I will leave
the door open for a week.]

Crackle.

Sparks of electricity began to bounce across the gold throne, filling the space with a
strange sound.

[This should be enough time for you to think hard and prepare properly…]

Lukas couldn’t help but think that this sound was similar to snickering.

***

All the Rulers left.

Or at least, that’s what they thought. After all, the heavy presences that filled the
temporary dimension had all disappeared.
The four Absolutes remained in that space for a while without saying anything.

They would have a four way fight during the qualifiers for the Great Game.

No one knew what the qualifiers would entail, but at the very least, the four of them
were now enemies.

“They saved you.”

Nodiesop turned to Lukas as he said that.

He wasn’t necessarily wrong.

If they were to continue fighting, Lukas would have had to risk his life.

Nevertheless, the thing that came to Lukas’ mind at that moment was the image of a
black haired girl, his daughter, who had been groaning in pain on the ground with
most of her limbs missing.

As he recalled that scene, his head became strangely cold.

“I will never forget that you tried to kill Sedi.”

Perhaps his feelings were reflected in his voice. Or perhaps it was shown in his
expression.

Nevertheless, Nodiesop noticed it, and a small smirk spread on his lips.

“I was only trying to show some mercy. Rather than that, I’d like to ask. Don’t you
think you are insulting her too much?”

“Your justification is flimsy. Did it seem like Sedi wanted to die?”

“She didn’t. But her fall to mortality must have interfered with her way of thinking.
So it’s not strange that she would be afraid of death now.”

“…”

Lukas’ expression twisted to one of disgust.

This kind of verbal back and forth was just pointless and annoying. Tiring arguments
like this shouldn’t be carried on for too long.

With a sigh, Lukas decided to simply state his thoughts in a clear manner.

“Nodiesop.”

“What?”

“I will kill you in the qualifiers.”

“…”

The smile on Nodiesop’s lips became brighter.

“That’s something we can agree on. I pray that we will see each other soon.”

Shuk-

After saying his piece, Nodiesop left.

Even if they were to meet in the outside world, he probably wouldn’t attack Lukas
anymore.

The next to come to him was Letip.

“Aren’t you glad you followed me?”

“What are you planning?”

“What do you mean?”

“Among the Absolutes, you are the only one whose goal is unclear.”

“…”

Before responding, Letip smiled slightly.

“What I want is what my master wants. So, for now, there are no conflicts between
us.”
“…”

“It must be hard for you to think of me as an ally.”

“I don’t.”

“You will.”

Letip chuckled slightly as he said those words.

Lukas couldn’t help but feel that he was very similar to the Lightning God. He
couldn’t speak for his appearance, but at the very least, Letip’s personality and
speech patterns seemed to be heavily influenced by the Lightning God.

Letip then disappeared in a bolt of lightning.

He too had left.

Now, Kasajin was the only one left.

He spoke without looking at Lukas.

[The qualifiers will be a much longer and tougher battle than you think.]

“Are you giving me advice?”

[You can take it like that. After all, I don’t want you to die at the hands of another
Absolute.]

“…”

After saying those words, Kasajin fell silent for a while. As he stood there, clenching
and unclenching his fists.

This was a habit that Kasajin displayed when he was struggling with something.

[…don’t just base your selection on strength alone. Otherwise, you will miss this
opportunity.]

“What?”
[It’s too much to explain.]

Kasajin shook his head.

[I’m taking Kran with me. If you want him back, then you’ll have to win the qualifiers.
Then, I’ll give him back to you.]

Shuk-

With that, Kasajin also disappeared.

Lukas was now the only one left in this vast space.

For a while, he just stood there, his eyes on the huge thrones that floated there. His
gaze finally turned to a turquoise throne at a far corner.

The Seven Fanged Dragon God.

It was the throne that had been prepared for the last Ruler, who hadn’t shown up.

“…”

After staring for a while, Lukas finally left that space.

“…”

A light smell and a gentle touch enveloped her body.

Min realised that she was lying on a bed.

‘Uhh… ’

She couldn’t even groan in pain. It was as if her tongue had become hard like
concrete. Her mouth was drier than a desert.

“Wa-, water…”

As soon as she painfully muttered that word, something cool touched her hand.
Someone had given her a bottle.

Deciding to momentarily put aside the thoughts of who it might be, Min Ha-rin
raised the bottle to her lips and greedily gulped down its contents.

“Cough…”

After drinking the cold water, it felt like her brain had awakened, and her confused
mind calmed down. Min Ha-rin slowly tried to sit up on the bed.

“Ugh.”

Although she’d only raised her upper half a little bit, she felt an intense stabbing pain
course through her entire body. It was similar to the pain one felt the day after
overworking themself during training.

Her torn muscle fibers fiercely insisted that Min Ha-rin continue resting.

As she took a moment to wipe the tears that formed at the corners of her eyes, she
heard a gentle voice beside her.
“You can rest for a bit longer.”

“…”

She wasn’t very familiar with it… but it was a voice she’d heard before. When she
turned to her right, she saw Arid sitting on a chair beside the bed.

Despite just sitting on a simple chair, he created a beautiful and holy sight. Every
time she saw him, Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel a bit depressed.

Leo and Sedi too. She couldn’t help but wonder why so many good-looking people
were suddenly appearing around her.

“…this is…”

“A room in the Church of Eternal… no, in the Korea Branch Headquarters.”

“A room… Ah.”

Suddenly, her memories began to replay in her mind like a slideshow. Min Ha-rin
raised her head to look at Arid.

“W-, what about Bishop Slei?”

Arid’s eyes darkened a bit when he heard her question.

“…he passed away.”

“Ah.”

It was only then that Min Ha-rin recalled the last of her memories.

A middle-aged man who seemed to control lightning suddenly appeared and tried to
kidnap Arid. Slei, who seemed to have recovered his conscience to an extent, tried to
stop him.

No, he didn’t even get the chance to try. As soon as Letip made an expression of
displeasure, Slei was struck by a bolt of lightning.

The deafening sound struck their eardrums and the blinding flash of light
illuminated their surroundings.

When the light finally subsided, there was nothing left of Bishop Slei. Only a deep
crater and a pile of ashes to show where he once stood.

At that sight, Arid screamed as if he’d gone mad before fainting.

Then, as he watched Min Ha-rin tremble at everything that happened so suddenly,

the man grinned.

‘Don’t worry. I know you are one of Lukas’ cards, so I won’t kill you.’

That was the last thing Min ha-rin remembered.

‘That man knew Master.’

That wasn’t all.

She hated to admit it, but for some reason, he gave her a similar feeling to Lukas.

It felt like he was a being who could calmly look down on everything in the world.
Like he had the freedom and dignity that came with being an absolute existence.

“What about the Demons?”

“There’s no need to worry. Everyone has already left. At the very least, there is no
longer anything in the area that can threaten us.

“All left…”

Just as Min Ha-rin muttered these words with a confused expression, the door to the
room swung open, and someone rudely walked in.

“Would you look at that. You really are awake. I thought you were gonna die.”

It was Sedi’s voice, and she was speaking in the same insufferable tone as always.

As soon as she raised her head to shoot something back, Min Ha-rin forgot what she
wanted to say.
“…yo-, your injuries.”

“What about them? I’ll tell you upfront, I don’t want your sympathy.”

Sedi’s entire body was covered in bandages, and she was walking with the help of
crutches. Even for Min Ha-rin, who knew nothing about the medical field, Sedi’s right
arm and leg, both of which were in casts, looked very serious.

“Miss Sedi! I told you you should stay in bed!”

“So noisy. Who do you think you’re ordering around? Do you want to die?”

Sedi responded in an annoyed voice before turning away from Arid and looking at
Min Ha-rin.

“Both of you, follow me. Father wants to see you.”

“…”

“Ah, and I’ll tell you in advance. You should prepare your minds while on the way.”

Sedi yawned slightly before continuing.

“The things you’re about to hear are hard for mortals to handle.”

***

“Ah…! M-, my younger siblings!”

Min Ha-rin suddenly screamed as she finally thought about her two younger siblings.

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest.

She was so foolish…! No matter how confused or injured she was, how could she
forget about her two siblings who were more important to her than her own life?

She was disappointed and angry at herself.

She hurriedly turned to look at Arid.

“Hey! B-, by chance, have you seen my younger siblings? Uh, they kinda look like me.
As for their ages…”

“Min Ha-min and Min Ha-yun, right?”

“Ah. Yeah.”

Arid smiled gently.

“Both of them are fine. They were a bit hurt, but they’ve already received treatment
and their lives are not in danger. They are just resting now.”

Those words relieved Min Ha-rin so much that she almost collapsed on the bed
again.

“Th-, thank you. Thank you so much.”

“It was nothing.”

Arid scratched his cheek slightly, his face red.

Sedi, who was being treated to this sight, couldn’t stop her cheek from twitching.
Rolling her eyes, she spat out.

“I’ll be outside. Hurry up and get dressed.”

Then, she left the room without looking back.

Arid watched as she disappeared behind the door before opening his mouth.

“Has Miss Sedi always been like that?”

“I haven’t known her for that long, but her personality has always been… unique.”

A more vulgar expression had tickled the tip of her tongue, but what she said in the
end was much milder. It was incredibly hard to say vulgar things in front of such an
innocent expression.

Arid smiled with a naive expression that seemed to say ‘it certainly is unique’. Then,
he turned to look at her again.
“Are you feeling tired, or sore?”

“A bit. How long has it been since I passed out?”

“About two days.”

“…two days.”

It was a time that couldn’t be called too long or too short.

“Ah.”

Suddenly, the image of Neil Prand, the President of the Hunter Association, appeared
in her mind.

Min Ha-rin didn’t have any feeling of reverence or awe towards him, but she had a
strange sense of responsibility after the conversation she had with Joanna before
they left.

Arid smiled slightly as he saw her expression.

“Are you worried about the Association President?”

“Yeah. How did you…”

“I heard about it from Mr. Lukas.”

Lukas.

That was her Master’s real name. He knew his real name instead of the pseudonym
‘Frey’…

It seemed that many things had happened while Min Ha-rin was unconscious.

“Then the Association President…”

“Is no longer at risk of dying. He is an incredibly tough man, so he should be out of

his bed within the week.”

“I see.”
In other words, their initial goal for coming to the Korea Branch had been achieved.

Then what did Lukas want to talk to them about?

‘…prepare our minds.’

The tone that Sedi had said those words in made her feel a bit anxious, but she
decided to put it aside for now and get out of bed.

Arid also stood to his feet.

“I will wait outside as well.”

“Ah. Yeah.”

Min Ha-rin, who was now alone in the room, washed her face and undressed before
changing into a new set of clothes and leaving the room.

Surprisingly, she found Sedi waiting outside the room with a calm expression.

From the impression she had of Sedi’s personality, Min Ha-rin thought she would
have been banging on the door as if she was going to break it and screaming for her
to hurry.

‘This brat seems to be a bit upset.’

This was pure intuition.

As she looked at Sedi’s face, it felt like she was looking at her younger siblings trying
their best to not pout. Of course, she didn’t say this out loud.

If she did, then this ferocious little girl might try to kill her.

“You took so long.”

“Sorry.”

“Whatever, just don’t fall behind.”

After saying that, Sedi limped forward. It was clear that her injuries had yet to heal.
Nevertheless, it was a bit strange. She was clearly limping, but she was moving so
quickly it was as if invisible wings were attached to her feet. Her black hair, which
was as dark as ink, fluttered in the wind.

On the other hand, Min Ha-rin, whose legs were both fine, was struggling to keep up
with her. Only after adjusting her pace slightly, to something closer to a jog than a
brisk walk, was she able to catch up.
Now that she was more relaxed, Min Ha-rin began to look around as they moved.

A cold wind blew inside the building.

This couldn’t be helped.

After all, a large section of the building had been destroyed by the Demon King’s
attack.

It seemed that they were preparing to repair the damage, but it was so extensive that
it would take at least a few years to fix it completely.

This left a bitter taste in Min Ha-rin’s mouth. Even if it had changed a lot, this was
still the place she was born and raised.

“Branch President Jung Ho-min is in charge of the headquarters now.”

Min Ha-rin nodded slightly at Arid’s words.

She was glad that Jung Ho-min had survived. She was well aware of his leadership
skills and charisma. As long as he was present, she was certain that the Korea Branch
would be able to return to its former state, even if it would take some time.

Among those who were helping with the repairs were a few familiar faces. They
were the believers of the Church of Eternal Life.

Min Ha-rin even saw Kim Min-chul.

“How did you manage to persuade the believers?”

It was a sensitive question, so Min Ha-rin lowered her voice and spoke carefully. Arid
had previously tried to persuade them, but he was only subjected to unfair violence
as a result.

But Arid didn’t seem affected by the experience as he responded indifferently.

“My Grandmother helped.”

“By grandmother, do you mean…”

“The person who was known as the Saint instead of me.”

It seemed that Arid was talking about the woman who had white hair like him.

She didn’t look like someone’s grandmother, but after meeting so many unique
people lately, Min Ha-rin didn’t find it strange to meet someone whose appearance
didn’t match their age.

Suddenly, Sedi stopped walking.

“We’re here.”

Min Ha-rin fell silent as she looked at the door in front of them.

Without knocking, Sedi opened the door and stepped in.

Lukas was standing inside the room. He had been standing by the window, looking
down at the ruined city below, but when the door opened, he turned his head.

“You’re here.”

“…Master.”

Min Ha-rin didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt like she hadn’t seen him in a long
time.

She was happy to see him, but her face burned with embarrassment. The last time
she saw Lukas, she’d been determined to unravel the conspiracy surrounding the
Korea Branch on her own, and she had even told him that directly.

At that time, although she had been nervous, she was still filled with confidence.

But now that she thought about it, she only felt like she had been too proud and
overconfident. To the extent that she overestimated herself.

After all, in the end, Min Ha-rin hadn’t been able to do anything here in Korea.
Nevertheless, her Master, Lukas, didn’t say anything about that.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad.”

Lukas gestured to a chair in front of him.

“Have a seat. Arid, you too.”

Listening to him, Min Ha-rin and Arid took their seats. Sedi leaned against the wall
and seemed to want to cross her hands in what would have been a cool pose, but her
casts made it look awkward instead.

“Sedi, how much did you tell them?”

“I didn’t tell them anything.”

“…then I guess I’ll have to start from the beginning. For starters, I think I’ll have to
tell you who I am.”

This caused Min Ha-rin to lift her head.

“Uh… Is it okay for you to tell us?”

She’d always wanted to know Lukas’ true identity, but he never seemed to want to
talk about it.

Of course, she had never asked him directly, but she remembered the conversation
they’d had with Nina and Lee Jong-hak not so long ago.

“The balance of this universe has already been severely disrupted. So I can reveal
some things to a certain degree. However, Arid’s presence is the most decisive
reason… Arid.”

“Yes.”

Arid nodded before turning to Min Ha-rin.

“Can you lend me your hand for a moment?”

“Ah, yeah.”

Lukas watched on silently from the side.

Arid’s Brilliance was a very versatile power.

Its power of communication was able to reach any being in the entire multiverse, its
power of salvation could save even those on the brink of death, and its power of
reinforcement could help even those without the power to do anything, stand up for
themselves.

Among these powers, the one that surprised Lukas the most was the power of
communication.

Through that power, Slei and Reika, who were mere mortals, were able to learn of
the existence of ‘Absolutes’. This was a truth that couldn’t be accessed even by souls
who had reincarnated for hundreds and thousands of years.

No, even if they could learn of it, their souls would simply be incapable of handling
such a vast amount of information, and they would instantly lose their minds.

However, it seemed that Brilliance was able to suppress those negative side effects.

Arid might even be able to directly communicate with God one day.

“Mmm…”

Min Ha-rin gently touched the back of her hand, which was being held in Arid’s. Her
hand felt warm as if it had been dipped in warm water, and that warmth soon spread
to her entire body!

Flash!

When the light faded, Min Ha-rin looked down at her body curiously, but she couldn’t
find any noticeable changes.

Nevertheless, as if he was waiting for this moment, Lukas slowly opened his mouth.
“I was a human in another universe.”

“In another universe?”

“Right. Now, I’m a being that can’t be called human anymore.”

Lukas did his best to explain his situation and the crisis this universe was currently
facing in as concise a manner as possible.

For the parts he didn’t think were necessary, he directly left them out.

For example, he didn’t think it was necessary to include how he became an Absolute,
his life as Frey Blake, or his struggle against the Demigods.

It was enough for them to know that he was once a human, was now a human and
traveled around the multiverse to save humans.

As he spoke, Lukas couldn’t help but feel a bit strange.

-Then, he realised that this was the first time.

The first time that he’d explained his situation to mortals and humans.

“…”

“…”

When he finished speaking, neither Arid nor Min Ha-rin spoke for a while.

This couldn’t be helped.

Lukas had summarised his story as much as he could. If he had explained everything
in detail, it would have probably taken three days and three nights to finish.

Nevertheless, his audience felt like they’d learned a lot.

It was only a small fraction, but they felt like they could understand Lukas.

His mission which was like a shackle, his lifelong sacrifice, his tenacity which
bordered on obsession.
…And most importantly, his immense love for humans.

‘Lee Jong-hak.’

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but recall the way he had been rudely talking to Lukas not
so long ago. To be honest, at that time, she had thought that he was being a bit
excessive, but she still felt like she could understand the contempt he showed to
Lukas to an extent.

Not anymore.

Now, she felt like she wanted to hit over the head.

‘…he didn’t know anything.’

Rage bubbled inside her. She wanted Lee Jong-hak to apologise to Lukas.

Watching humans die must have hurt Lukas more than anyone else.

Lukas spoke in a calm voice.

“I’m sure this all must be difficult to accept.”

Min Ha-rin came back to her senses. This was not the time for her to vent her anger
at Lee Jong-hak. Licking her lip slightly, she turned to look at Sedi who was leaning
against the wall.

“Then Sedi…”

“Is a former Absolute. Who was demoted to a mortal.”

“…I really don’t like the word ‘demote’.”

Sedi spoke with a blunt tone, but Lukas ignored her and continued.

“The reason I told you all of this is because I would like to take you to the Great
Game’s qualifiers.”

“Where will this qualifier be held?”

“It is being held somewhere that even I am not aware of. It may be extremely
dangerous, and I cannot guarantee that I will be able to keep you safe. Not to
mention you, even me and the other participants will all be at risk of losing more
than just our lives.”

“At risk of losing more than just our lives…?”

She didn’t understand what that meant.

It was Sedi who gave her the answer.

“It’s more than just the destruction of your soul when it comes to battles with
Absolutes.”

Min Ha-rin blanched slightly at those words.

Sedi smiled mischievously as though she enjoyed her reaction.

“Instead, your very being will be erased from existence. There won’t be any traces
left, as though you never existed in the first place.”

Min Ha-rin took a deep breath. Then she spoke after a short while.

“…what about you?”

“Huh?”

“Are you going to participate in the qualifiers?”

Sedi shrugged.

“If I don’t go, who will?”

“…”

She couldn’t refute that. Of all the people that Lukas could choose, Sedi was by far
the strongest.

Lukas walked up to Min Ha-rin and patted her on the shoulder.

“I won’t force you. There are still three or four days to spare, so think about it
seriously before giving me your answer.”

“…”

Min Ha-rin hesitated for a moment before nodding.

She was ashamed of herself for not being able to immediately give a definite answer,
but she was grateful that Lukas was considerate enough to give her name.

It was at that moment that Arid opened his mouth.

“I don’t need to think anymore.”

His expression was more serious than she’d ever seen it before.

Lukas had given a similar offer to Arid two days ago while Min Ha-rin was still
unconscious.

At that time, he had also asked for some time to think about it.

Lukas nodded as he turned to him.

“What have you chosen?”

“Please take me with you.”

Arid lowered his head slightly before muttering the last word.

“…Master.”

“…”

Min Ha-rin looked back and forth from Arid to Lukas with a bewildered expression
on her face.

“It must not have been an easy decision to make, thank you.”

Lukas thanked Arid with a calm voice, but he still blushed in embarrassment.
Sedi, at the back, muttered as she folded her fingers one after the other.

“So that leaves three more people… No, two more. Since you said that Leo or
whatever brat will also be coming.”

“Ju-, junior brother too!?”

Min cried out in surprise. That was a name she hadn’t expected to hear.

“Right. That brat didn’t hesitate at all. It was almost as if he was waiting for
something like this.”

“…”

Ignoring Min Ha-rin, whose face had gone pale from shock, Sedi asked Lukas.

“Who will you choose for the other two spots?”

“…”

Lukas tried to think of the few remaining candidates.

“…told you before, Rose.”

A soft whisper echoed in a dark cave.

“There wouldn’t be a second time.”

“K-. uk…”

Followed by a groan from another person.

These unpleasant sounds served as the alarm clock that slowly brought Kran back to
consciousness.

“You should be grateful for the King’s mercy. If he hadn’t forgiven you, you would
have already disappeared from this world without even a corpse left.”

“…I’m… eternally grateful for your mercy. Your Majesty.”

Hearing the voice of a woman who seemed to be struggling to endure great pain,
Kran slowly opened his eyes.

He didn’t feel good at all. It felt like his intestines had been twisted together before
being battered repeatedly. He almost wanted to throw up.

‘Kuh… ’

Instinctively, he tried to move his arms, but he soon realised that he couldn’t. In fact,
he couldn’t move at all.

It was as though his arms, legs, and neck were bound by invisible restraints.
Whatever it was had an incredible binding force.

Even if he was in a weakened state, with his strength, Kran could easily break free
from steel chains, but whatever it was that bound him didn’t even budge despite him
using all his available energy.
‘Why am I bound here?’

Firstly, he decided to calm down, cool his mind, and adjust his breathing.

Then, he slowly recalled his last memories.

He had been fighting Sipakna with Sedi.

Then he had come up with a foolish but workable plan and had run towards Sipakna
to carry it out. Then…

…He didn’t remember anything after that.

‘Did Sipakna get me?’

No. That wasn’t it.

He was not dumb enough to not notice an attack coming from the front.

Realising that a third party had probably interfered in the fight, Kran decided to
check on his condition.

‘…I have no demonic energy at all.’

His condition wasn’t just bad, it was the worst it could possibly be.

It would be impossible for him to demonise himself in his current state.

Deciding to give up on getting out of his restraints, for now, Kran looked up.

And his expression immediately hardened. This was because he found himself inside
what appeared to be the hall of a large building which seemed to give off an antique
feel.

Unfortunately, he knew exactly where this was. Images of this hall had been among
the materials Ringo had given him in the past. This was the Palace of Versailles, a
world-renowned landmark that was located in the city of Versailles, France.

Of course, in the current era, it was much more well known for its new title, ‘The
Demon King’s Castle’.
In this hall, Kran saw four beings, each exuding a startling amount of demonic
energy. There was even one he knew. Sipakna.

Just like him, the two beings beside him were probably also members of the Five
Dukes, an extremely pale man, and a woman bleeding as she kneeled towards the
end of the room.

In that spot, a huge being sat on an enormous throne.

Despite not moving a finger, this being’s presence easily engulfed the entire room
and suppressed everyone within. It was the Demon King.

[It seems you’ve awoken.]

After Kasajin opened his mouth, the Five Dukes all turned their attention towards
Kran.

Nevertheless, Kran wasn’t startled as he found himself the focus of these immensely
powerful beings, instead, he let out a laugh.

“Your underlings were shouting so loudly right next to my ear. It would be a miracle
if I didn’t wake up. I’d appreciate it if you could pay a bit more attention to your
pets.”

The expression of the pale man, Azazel, became cold.

“Instead of bluffing, you should pay more attention to your situation. Maybe then
you’ll be able to keep your insignificant life for a bit longer.”

“Hmph. You’re the one that’s bluffing.”

“What are you talking about?”

Kran coughed a couple times. It felt like something was built up in his lungs. Soon
afterward, he felt something warm rush up his throat.

Blerk-

After vomiting up a mouthful of blood, his stomach felt a bit better.

Kran then spoke in a much more relaxed tone.

“If you could’ve killed me, you would’ve done it by now.”

“…”

Azazel narrowed his eyes.

“Right. As you said, I can’t kill you. But I can do anything else to you.”

As he said those words in a dangerous tone, he slowly stalked towards Kran.

“Since you’re a hybrid, you probably won’t die if I ripped your tongue out, right?”

[Enough.]

Kasajin only muttered a single word.

But Azazel immediately stopped moving and knelt towards the king.

[I have no intention of harming you. I’m sure you feel much better now. But you
‘could use a bit more rest’.]

“Ha. What the hell…”

Kran, who was about to retort, suddenly felt a burst of fatigue fill his body.

An unknown power was forcing him back into unconsciousness.

Just before he finally passed out, Kran managed to squeeze out a few words.

“You bastard…”

After his head had fallen to rest on the floor once again, Kasajin slowly rose from his
throne.

As he looked down at Kran, he couldn’t help but mutter.

[He has matured a bit, but it is still far from enough. Kran needs to grow even
stronger.]
“May I ask what you mean, My Lord?”

Kasajin answered without thinking about it.

[We’ll go together.]

***

“Ah…”

Nina Rednikova blinked.

The darkroom was only lit, dimly, by a single candle that sat in the far corner.

This was the sight that she’d missed so much, but she’d never thought she would be
able to see again.

“It would be best for you to keep your eyes closed as much as possible. You should
also avoid any place with bright lights, and make sure to wear sunglasses when you
truly have no choice.”

“Am I really… really healed?”

When Nina asked this question with a stutter, Arid smiled gently.

“As long as you take good care of yourself, your sight will return to the way it used to
be.”

“…”

Nina fell silent after receiving his reply, speechless.

Min Ha-rin, who stood at the side, also watched on in amazement.

‘…amazing.’

She knew just how strong the curse that had been used to blind Nina was.

It was a powerful curse that even an Archbishop of the Catholic Church had been
unsure of how to heal. But Arid had completely cured it in less than half an hour.
“…thank you. Thank you so much.”

Nina sobbed in gratitude, but eventually, she fell unconscious.

At that moment, her appearance didn’t match her title ‘Leader of the Iron Blood
Army’. She appeared fragile.

Arid quietly got to his feet and said.

“She must have used a lot of energy to heal herself. Her body is currently in an
extremely weak state. She will probably regain consciousness in a few days.”

“…Arid, you are really amazing.”

When Min Ha-rin decided to put her admiration into words, Arid could only scratch
his cheek bashfully.

“It was nothing.”

This was probably one of the habits he displayed when he felt shy.

However, he coughed to regain his composure before speaking in a serious voice.

“By the way, Senior Sister, please speak comfortably?”

“Huh?”

“I’m also one of Master’s disciples now, Senior Sister Min became a disciple much
earlier than I did, so you are my senior.”

“…hey, Arid, how old are you?”

Arid then responded with a somewhat stern expression.

“If you keep asking me politely, then I won’t answer you.”

This was said in a stubborn voice.

She’d always thought he was a bit weak-willed, so she didn’t expect him to have such
a stubborn side.
Min Ha-rin had no choice but to change her words.

“…Arid, how old are you?” (TL: It’s kind of hard to differentiate polite and casual in
english… just know that the sentences are slightly different T~T)

Her tongue felt strange after saying those words. It felt like she’d done something
wrong.

And that guilt only grew when she heard Arid’s answer.

“I’m twenty-nine.”

“…”

This was a ridiculous moment.

Min Ha-rin felt awkward about speaking informally, but Arid had a smile on his face
as he got what he wanted.

“How old are you, Senior Sister?”

“…twenty-two.”

“Wow.”

His innocence and curiosity didn’t match his age.

At first, it was awkward and uncomfortable, but as they continued talking, Min Ha-
rin finally came to terms with the situation and began to act more naturally.

Then, she asked her new Junior Brother the question she wanted to ask the most.

“Arid, why did you become Master’s disciple?”

“Because I wanted to.”

Arid responded immediately, seemingly not having to think about it. But probably
feeling that his answer was a bit lacking, he decided to add an explanation.

“There were probably many reasons. But the most important one was definitely the
fact that I’ll never meet someone like Master again.”

“…”

“I felt that, if it was Master, I would be able to understand and learn how to use this
power I was born with.”

Innate power.

Arid’s innate power was extraordinary. There were probably no more than five
people throughout history who had been born with such a rare talent. And it was
these special talents that stimulated people’s desires.

Although Arid could smile brightly and appear carefree, he had already been deeply
scarred.

Nevertheless, he didn’t show it, instead choosing to move forward.

To be honest, it was a bit blinding.

‘What about me?’

Min Ha-rin asked herself.

What do I want to do?

Originally, her goal was to completely eradicate all the Demons in the world. She
thought that if she could get rid of them, the peace from the past would be restored.

But after hearing Lukas’ story, she realised.

The road to peace was long and rough. In all honesty, she felt like it was something
that was much too great for her to handle, which caused her to shrink in on herself.

She recalled the reason why Lukas had made her his first disciple.

Her Master was expecting to hear the answer to a question that even he couldn’t
solve.

She felt burdened.

But at the same time, she didn’t want to disappoint him.

Perhaps that was the reason. The reason that she’d tried to deal with everything at
the Korean Branch on her own.

And as a result, she had achieved absolutely nothing…

“And it might be a bit late, but I’d like to say thank you.”

“Huh?”

“For my Grandfather.”

By grandfather… Did he mean Bishop Slei?

“In the end, he tried to protect me. You must have convinced him, didn’t you?”

“N-, no. I didn’t do anything. Your grandfather tried to protect you of his own free
will.”

She meant it.

Min Ha-rin had even thought about killing Slei. If he had been indifferent after
witnessing Arid be subject to unfair violence, she might have done it.

Arid shook his head slowly.

“That’s not possible… I know my Grandfather. He’s not the type of person who would
change his mind just because he suffered a few setbacks.”

“…”

“I’m sure that Senior Sister did something to influence my Grandfather in some way.
So for that… Thank you.”

After saying those words, Arid bowed to her.

“To be honest, I had almost begun to hate my Grandfather… But after seeing him at
the end, I felt a lot better.”
“…”

Min Ha-rin listened to Arid’s thanks and suddenly thought about Leo. She now had
two junior brothers who called her senior sister and listened to her.

But when she thought about them, and the way they had chosen to risk their lives
without hesitation, she couldn’t help but feel that she wasn’t doing her job as a
senior sister.

Maybe it was some other reason. Or maybe it was her pride as a senior sister.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

But regardless of what it was, what mattered was that her hesitation was now gone.

At the very least, Min Ha-rin had chosen to take full responsibility for her choices.

And one thing was clear.

If she didn’t participate this time, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

Of course, she was afraid of losing her life, of losing her soul.

This fear was made worse because she knew Lukas’ personality. Her Master would
never lie to her. This battle would certainly be an incredibly difficult fight, and the
risk of death would be high.

Nevertheless.

“I’ll go too.”

“Huh?”

When Arid tilted his head at the sudden statement, Min Ha-rin repeated herself in a
clear, determined voice.

“The qualifiers, I will participate as well.”

“I’m serious.”

Joanna’s eyes were bloodshot. Her hair was a mess and her skin looked dry and
lifeless. It looked like she had been awake for more than two nights straight.

Shaking her head, she continued in a low voice.

“The Association President isn’t in Pilsky Tower right now. I thought you would
know where he was, but…”

Lukas remained silent.

Neil Prand.

Lukas had intended to choose this man, the President of the Hunter Association and
arguably the strongest human, as his final team member.

Of course, he knew that Neil’s twisted mindset was not something he could easily fix.
However, he thought that he would be able to change it slightly with a bit of teaching,
and he’d believed the qualifiers would have been the perfect opportunity to do so.

It was that thought that brought him to North America, but he found that Neil Prand
had already disappeared from the Association Headquarters.

“Did he say anything before he disappeared?”

“If he did, we wouldn’t be so panicked right now. We checked the surveillance

cameras in the room… Look at this. Up until the moment he disappeared, he had
been laying on the bed.”

Joanna pointed at a monitor, upon which was the footage from Neil’s sickroom.

After being treated by Arid, there was no longer any risk of him losing his life, but he
had still been unconscious. And he should’ve remained in that state. According to
Arid, he would need about a week before his condition was completely stable.
But suddenly,

Neil’s upper body raised like a puppet being controlled by strings, and his head
turned to look in a certain direction for no apparent reason.

—Or at least that’s how it appeared to anyone other than Lukas.

“He continued to stare blankly in that direction for a while before he got up, walked
out of the view of the camera, and disappeared.”

“…”

“…of course, this isn’t the first time he has disappeared on his own. But I’m worried
because he’s not in the best condition right now.”

‘I see.’

Lukas clicked his tongue as he looked at the footage replaying on the screen.

He had been a step too late. This was the thought he had as he stared at the sparks of
electricity bouncing in the direction Neil was staring.

‘Letip.’

He’d come for Neil a step ahead of Lukas. In all likelihood, he probably intended to
take him into the qualifiers with him.

He’d lost a potential member. Lukas felt discouraged for a moment, but he soon
thought of another of his potential candidates. His gaze turned to Joanna, who
continued to express her concern for Neil despite her tired expression.

She was one of the other candidates he’d thought about. Joanna was a talented
Wizard and she even had the potential to become one of his disciples.

But it was only then that Lukas realised. If he did choose Joanna, then he would have
too many backline fighters.

Lukas, Arid, Min Ha-rin, who he was confident would participate, and Joanna…

That would mean four backline fighters.

Of course, Min Ha-rin was technically a Magical Swordsman, but it was still not a
good match to put her on the frontline together with Sedi and Leo.

‘The talent I needed the most was Kran.’

He had a similar power level to Sedi, a lot of combat experience, and his secret ability
to demonise himself. If he had been able to take it, it was obvious that he would have
been the perfect helper for Lukas along with Sedi.

However, he had been kidnapped by Kasajin. So Lukas had no choice but to come for
Neil. But even he had been taken away by Letip.

‘…Nina is still suffering from the after-effects of her injuries.’

With a sigh, Lukas thought of his last candidate.

That man was unlikely to obey his orders, but at this point, he didn’t have much of a
choice.

***

South Hwanghae Province, Korean Peninsula.

Not so long ago, this was a land that had been filled with Demons and Demon Beasts,
but recently, the demonic energy in the area had become much less apparent.

This was because a group of Demon Hunters had recently begun cleaning up the
area.

“Busan was attacked.”

While battling a Demon, he heard a voice.

Usually, they wouldn’t have conversations during battle, but the fight was already
coming to an end.

“Roar!”

Crack!
He stabbed his sword into the neck of the Demon, who continued to struggle despite
losing all of its limbs, causing its blood to splash on his face.

Wiping the blood roughly with the back of his hand, Lee Jong-hak replied.

“Are you talking about the rumors that the Five Dukes appeared?”

“That’s right.”

The Sword Saint, Jong Ho, nodded as he returned his sword to its sheath.

“I thought those rumors were probably false, but…”

“But?”

“Not long ago, I felt a great disturbance in the sky.”

Jong Ho let out a laugh.

“Can you read the heavenly ki too?”

“Of course I can’t. What I felt was closer to intuition.”

“Ah… you’re talking about back then.”

Two terrifying presences had flown across the sky in the blink of an eye. They flew
beyond the clouds so they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of what these beings looked
like, but one of them reminded Lee Jong-hak of something.

The Duke he met in Africa.

And the other was a being that was even more powerful. So much so that they were
on a completely different level.

At that time, even Lee Jong-hak had trouble breathing as he felt the terrifying
presence fly past. A few of the weaker hunters even directly fainted, foam dripping
from their mouths.

“They came from the direction of Busan.”

“Hmm…”

Jong Ho stroked his chin slightly.

Suddenly.

They felt an enormous presence appear in the sky above them.

Jong Ho looked up at the sky and sighed slightly.

“…that’s a frightening amount of pressure. However…”

“Yeah. That’s not a Demon.”

Nevertheless, neither of them relaxed or removed their hands from their swords.

However, when the owner of the immense pressure in the sky revealed themself,
their expressions had no choice but to change.
It was the second day since Min Ha-rin had announced her participation and the
final day of preparation for the qualifiers.

Lukas, who had disappeared not so long ago, returned to the Korea Branch
Headquarters with the final team member.

Min Ha-rin was probably the most surprised out of all members in Lukas’ team. This
was because she would never have expected to see this man with a calm expression
standing there.

“The Human Dragon, Lee Jong-hak…”

It was Leo who muttered these words in a voice that carried a hint of admiration.

Lee Jong-hak’s fame had spread not only throughout Asia but also Europe and North
America.

He was the idol of almost every person who threaded the path of martial arts and
was one of the heroes that people wanted to imitate the most. From his attitude, it
was clear that even Leo, who usually didn’t pay much attention to such things, was
no exception.

“Huh, it seems a famous person has arrived.”

It was Arid, whose fame was in no way lesser than Lee Jong-hak, who said those
words. In his eyes, there was also a spark of admiration.

Min Ha-rin didn’t find this strange. As had been stated many times before, Lee Jong-
hak was one of the most famous and well-liked heroes of this world.

However, the reaction that surprised her the most, was Sedi’s.

After staring at Lee Jong-hak for a while, Sedi actually nodded her head slightly, as if
to indicate that she was satisfied with what she saw.
“This one should be a bit useful.”

Although it seemed as if she was just inspecting a piece of art, Min Ha-rin, who knew
Sedi’s strength and origin, knew just how generous those words were.

Of course, Lee Jong-hak wasn’t sure how to react.

This was natural. After all, a little girl, whose head barely came up to his chest, stared
at him as if she was measuring his worth.

Just as he opened his mouth to say something, Min Ha-rin spoke.

“It’s been a while.”

Lee Jong-hak hesitated a bit before nodding slowly.

“…right. It seems you’ve been well.”

“Yeah. You too.”

“…”

It was a very awkward feeling.

They had once risked their lives together to escape from that place, but now, there
was a cold distance between them.

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but wonder if there was an edge to her voice. After learning
of Lukas’ true identity and goal, a feeling of dislike for this had developed in her
heart.

Nevertheless, Lee Jong-hak was a helper that Lukas himself had brought.

So she couldn’t just openly display that kind of attitude.

‘More importantly.’

No matter how upset she was, she would never deny that Lee Jong-hak was
powerful. At the very least, he was much stronger than she was, so he would be a
great help.
“I never would have expected you to accept Master’s offer.”

She wasn’t being sarcastic, she genuinely meant that. She thought that Lee Jong-hak
hated Lukas.

“I owe… that man. I owe him more than just my life.”

Recalling Jong Ho and the other hunters that had been sent to the Korean Peninsula,
Lee Jong-hak continued.

“And my thoughts from that time changed long ago.”

That certainly seemed true.

In fact, Lee Jong-hak’s attitude seemed to suggest that he held great respect for
Lukas.

“How much did Master tell you?”

“Only that a battle which would affect the fate of this world is about to begin.”

So he hadn’t been told everything.

Now that she thought about it, Arid hadn’t been with him. Without his Brilliance, Lee
Jong-hak would not be able to learn the truth of the universe.

Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but feel a bit strange.

She couldn’t tell if she was happy that he didn’t get to learn the truth about Lukas, or
disappointed that he didn’t know just how wrong he was.

“I don’t mean to interfere. But I would really like to help. Will you accept me?”

“That’s not for me to decide.”

Min Ha-rin shook her head as she said those words.

It was at that moment that Leo, who seemed unable to wait any longer, stepped
forward.
“My name is Leo Freeman. I’ve long heard the name of the great Human Dragon.”

“Lee Jong-hak. I’ll be in your care for a while.”

“…yeah.”

Then, Arid smiled and introduced himself too.

“I’m Arid.”

“I’ll tell you my name later. Father, shouldn’t we leave now?”

“…father?”

Lee Jong-hak couldn’t stop the surprised expression from spreading across his face
as he heard the unexpected title. Ignoring his question, Lukas nodded before looking
over at the people he’d gathered one last time.

Min Ha-rin, Leo, Arid, Lee Jong-hak, and Sedi.

He couldn’t help but feel that at the present time, there was no team better than this
one.

“Let’s go.”

Time was running out. The Lightning God had said he would leave the entrance to
the qualifiers near Korea, and it didn’t take Lukas very long to find it.

In the middle of the sea, not so far from Busan, was a huge whirlpool.

However, unlike normal whirlpools, the center of this whirlpool was black, similar to
a black hole, or the gaping maw of an enormous monster.

The five candidates, floating in the air with the help of Lukas’ magic, all looked at this
scene with differing expressions on their faces.

After a while, Min Ha-rin couldn’t help but ask with a hint of trepidation.

“…are we really supposed to go in there?”

“W-, we won’t die will we?”

“In theory, I don’t think we will die.”

“U-, uhh.”

“…idiots.”

Sedi shook her head as she looked at their pathetic expressions.

Lukas on the other hand remained as expressionless as ever. He knew that even
though their expressions were like that, each of them had already strengthened their
resolve. For a moment, he considered whether he should say something to comfort
them, but he didn’t think he had to.

Instead, Lukas looked down at the dark vortex for a while before speaking.

“Let’s go.”

And with those words, he released the spell that was holding them aloft.

This caused the six bodies to slowly fall into the dark whirlpool at the same time.

***

Ssss-

The surroundings buzzed incessantly as though it was alive. Light and color slowly
began to blend and take shape, and before he knew it, Lukas found himself standing
on solid ground.

Whoosh-

A heavy wind blew over.

Lukas looked around.

The world he found himself standing in was barren and colorless. Large rocks
floated in the sky, and there was nothing on the dry, cracked ground.
It felt like a world that was only at the beginning stages of creation.

‘Is this the battlefield created for the qualifiers?’

No matter how eccentric the rulers were, he didn’t think they’d be this laid back for
something so important.

Just as he had this thought, a voice sounded in his head.

[Welcome, Participant, to the Qualifiers for the Great Game.]

It was a cold, inorganic voice.

‘What did it mean ‘welcome’?’

Lukas couldn’t help but lower his head as he felt numerous doubts appear at the
same time.

He wondered whose voice this was. At the very least, it didn’t seem like it belonged
to any of the Rulers.

[Before proceeding to the Qualifiers, you will first participate in a tutorial.]

…Tutorial?

Just as Lukas narrowed his eyes in confusion, the voice continued.

[The tutorial is a necessary process for us to objectively measure the power level of
each participant. So we will ask you to please do your best.]

[Additionally, any injuries you might suffer in the tutorial will be reset before you
enter the main game.]

[This reset applies even if the participant receives an injury that would otherwise
lead to certain death.]

Reviving the death was not a task that was particularly difficult for Rulers.
Nevertheless, Lukas couldn’t help but wonder why this process was necessary.

[We will now begin the tutorial.]

[Stage 1]

Paht.

With a weak flash of light, a group suddenly appeared in this empty world.

It was a monster, one that filled Lukas with a sense of nostalgia.

Short, green-skinned, bipedal beings, with thin arms, protruding stomachs, and
sharp, hooked noses. Each of them wielding a shabby weapon in their hands.

Goblins.

“Keruk, keruk.”

“Kerker.”

They looked at Lukas with eager gazes.

***

[You have cleared Stage 1.]

“Huff…! Huff…!”

Leo panted heavily.

This was the first time he’d ever encountered these monsters, but they weren’t that
strong. At best, they were only comparable to the lowest-ranked Demon Beasts.
Nevertheless, the reason why Leo was panting so hard was because this was only his
second real battle.

‘It’s fine. I can handle this much pressure.’

Leo clenched his fist.

Maybe it was because these monsters looked very different from Demons or Demon
Beasts. Or maybe it was because he couldn’t sense any demonic energy from them.

But when it came to these monsters, he didn’t feel like he would have much trouble
dealing with this amount of pressure.

He had never slacked off in his training. And he could even be called a bit talented.

So there was no reason for Leo to lose to a dozen or so goblins.

However, these guys were only the first stage.

He wasn’t sure how this tutorial was structured, but he was almost certain that it
would get more difficult with each passing stage.

He couldn’t help but wonder if the others would be okay.

‘…this isn’t the time to worry about the others.’

As soon as that thought appeared in his mind, Leo shook it out of his head.

No matter how he looked at it, he was probably the weakest of all the participants on
his team.

[Stage 2]

A bright light flashed as he heard the mechanical voice once again.

Leo’s eyes burned with fighting spirit.

Out of habit, he recalled Lukas’ advice.

Just because a flower blooms later than others, doesn’t mean it will be any less
beautiful.

His flower hadn’t bloomed yet.

[You have cleared Stage 4.]

“Mm…”

Lee Jong-hak slowly rolled his shoulders, which were gradually becoming tense.

The two-headed monsters that he’d just fought had been quite strong.

Their skin was quite tough, and their physical strength had reached a level that even
he had to admire. When three of these monsters appeared, it hadn’t been easy to
deal with them, even for Lee Jong-hak.

“That was stage 4…”

Power flowed through the hand which was holding his sword.

At first, he’d been relaxed because this was only the tutorial, but now, he felt like he
should pay a bit more attention.

***

[You have cleared Stage 9.]

She was bored. So bored that she felt like dying.

While this thought floated in her mind, Sedi calmly shook the blood off of her hand.
She didn’t like the feeling of these low-level beings’ blood covering her body. This
was why her scythe was so useful. Whenever she took an enemy’s life with her
scythe, she never had to worry about being splashed with their blood.

When the qualifiers truly began, she would have to do her best to find a weapon.

“How much longer do I have to do this for?”

When she grumbled these words in an annoyed voice, she received an unexpected
answer.

[The tutorial consists of ten stages, and for Participant, the next stage will be your
last.]

“Ah. Right.”

So there was only one left. That was good to hear.

A bright smile spread across Sedi’s face as she waited for the final stage to begin.

***

[You have cleared Stage 10.]

[Congratulations, Participant, for clearing all of the prepared stages.]

[Based on the information gathered from the tutorial, we are now able to objectify
the participant’s body information.]

[Please wait for a moment.]

[…]

[…]

Lukas’ hand shook slightly as he looked at the monster corpse in front of him.

It belonged to a gigantic monster that was shaped like a wolf and was quite strong.

‘None of them would have been able to clear Stage 10 except Sedi.’

Lukas had a good grasp of the different strengths of the people who entered the
qualifiers with him.

Lee Jong-hak’s limit should be the eighth stage, while Min Ha-rin and Leo should
have stopped around the fourth or fifth stage.

As for Arid… he wasn’t too sure. The power of his Brilliance was certainly great, but
he had little to no combat experience.
With his strength, he could pass the tenth stage, but it was also possible for him to
lose even the first stage.

Arid might benefit from this experience even more than Min Ha-rin or Leo.

[The objectification process has been completed.]

[To view it, say ‘Status Window’.]

“…?”

Lukas tilted his head to the side before muttering.

“Status Window.”

***

“What… is this?”

Min Ha-rin, who had cleared the fifth stage, stared at the translucent screen that had
appeared in front of her.

[Min Ha-rin]

[Level: 27]

[Title: Snow Flower, Great Mage’s Disciple]

[Occupation: Magic Swordsman]

[Race: Human]

[Skills: Magic(Lv.5), Swordsmanship(Lv.6), Magical Swordsmanship(Lv.1)

“…the Great Game.”

It really was like a real ‘game’.

Then she heard the voice again.

[The tutorial has ended.]

[Proceeding to the ‘Great World’.]

Flash!

A bright flash of light enveloped Min Ha-rin. Then, she felt a sense of weightlessness
similar to when they’d first entered this space.

Her surroundings, which were gradually revealed, were filled with a variety of
vibrant colors, completely different from the colorless world she’d just stayed in.

“Ah…”

But when she saw her surroundings clearly for the first time, Min Ha-rin’s mouth fell
open, and for a moment, she forgot how to speak.

***

Lukas looked around.

He found himself standing alone in a dark cave.

He could hardly feel any movements around him. Cold wind whistled continuously
through the cave, creating a deep, ominous sound.

‘I’m alone.’

Lukas couldn’t help but wonder if he was the only one separated from the group.

Or was it that everyone had been separated randomly?

He hoped it was the former, but it was more than likely the latter.

He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t worried.

Even if there was a gap in strength, all five of the people who had joined him this
time were equally resolved. All of them were willing to risk their lives to accomplish
their task.
Nevertheless, they would survive, he knew it.

‘And… ’

Lukas currently wasn’t so relaxed as to worry about others.

His gaze was drawn to the end of the cave. There, he saw a faint light coming in. That
was probably the exit. Just as he was about to slowly move towards it…

[Welcome to the ‘Great World’.]

He heard the mechanical voice again.

[The condition to win this challenge is to acquire all four of the ‘most special
statues’.]

[Numerous quests exist in this world. All of which provide clues, large and small, to
help the participants find the statues.]

Lukas didn’t stop walking as he analysed the information he’d just received from the
voice.

The four most special statues.

Quest.

The information given by the voice left much to be desired, but he couldn’t really
complain in his current situation.

Perhaps, the information given at the beginning was the same for all of the
participants.

[The Participant’s current level is well above the average in the ‘Great World’.]

[Your level and skills will be greatly restricted.]

[These restrictions can be lifted using special items obtained in the ‘Great World’.]

[In addition, there are many special items in the ‘Great World’ that might be of use to
the participant.]
[These items will not disappear even after the participant returns to the original
world.]

The restrictions on his power were expected.

At first glance, it might seem like he was at a disadvantage, but that was not the case.

‘The other Absolutes here too.’

Nodiesop, Letip, Kasajin.

Their powers would also be heavily restricted. After all, the Rulers were the ones
who created this Great Game. No matter how powerful they were when compared to
other Absolutes, they could do nothing in the face of the Rulers’ power.

In the original world, Lukas was the only one whose power was restricted, so a
situation where everyone else was also restricted was not bad at all.

‘I should carefully decide the order.’

The special statues, or the items that would help him break free from his
restrictions.

He needed to decide which of the two he would go after first.

Even if he managed to grab the statues, he might not be able to keep them if he didn’t
have the strength to do so.

And there was the last message as well.

The items they collected would not disappear even when they returned to the
original world.

Perhaps this was why they called it the qualifiers.

The numerous items that existed in this world were likely to have a huge impact
after the Great Game truly began in earnest.

Of course, Lukas was in a position to stop a full-fledged game from starting.

[Participant is currently in a field that belongs to the ‘Heavenly Realm’.]

[We wish the Participant the best of luck.]

After saying those words, the voice was not heard anymore.

It was just in time, as Lukas felt a light breeze softly tickle his hair. It was coming
from outside the cave.

Nevertheless, Lukas’ gaze was locked onto a single location. It was a nearby cliff.

It seemed a bit precarious, but if he stood there, he would be able to see all of the
surrounding areas in one glance.

Without any further delay, Lukas headed over to the cliff.

“…”

And he instantly became speechless.

It was refreshing.

Clean and fresh air created by a land without the slightest bit of pollution blew
strongly against his face.

Most of the land on ‘Earth’ had been deeply impacted by the corrosive demonic
energy, and the air there was nothing when compared to this. Nevertheless, that
wasn’t the reason why Lukas was so speechless.

It was because beneath the cliff lay a huge ocean. However, that didn’t mean he was
standing on an island or even near a beach.

He was at least a few kilometers away from the ocean. The clouds beneath him were
the best proof of this.

In other words, the ground upon which he was standing, rested high above the sky.

‘The Heavenly Realm.’

As he recalled the name the voice had announced to him, Lukas had a vague idea of
where he was at that moment.

This place was literally floating in the sky, a Floating Island.

(TL: So… a system world now? This wasn’t something I expected to see in this novel,
to be honest, but I suppose it does fit the setting. What do you guys think?)
Lukas found that the cave was in the middle of the mountain. That was why he was
able to see the other side from the cliff.

The view before his eyes was unlike anything he’d ever seen before.

A forest made of large, majestic trees, a crystal clear river which shined like a jewel
in the sunlight…

Lukas suddenly wondered where the river on this floating island in the sky came
from. With that thought in his mind, he decided to climb down and walk along the
river.

Villages and cities were usually built in places where freshwater was easily
accessible. So following the river had the highest probability of allowing him to
encounter people.

Of course, this was just an optimistic thought.

After all.

There was no guarantee that there’d be intelligent lifeforms in the Heavenly Realm.

‘This might get annoying.’

The lack of people to communicate with meant that it would be relatively difficult to
gather any information.

However, judging from the keyword ‘statue’, Lukas assumed that there was at least
one race in this world intelligent enough to practice carving or sculpting.

Lukas decided to stop thinking about it. This was because, at the present, any
speculation beyond this would just be a waste of time.

Instead, it would be much wiser for him to check his physical condition first.
‘I can’t use any spell beyond 7 stars.’

His power had been restricted. Nevertheless, this situation was very similar to what
he experienced back in the outside world.

However, there were a few positives.

The tolerance of this created world was beyond imagination. So as long as he was
able to regain his power as an Absolute, Lukas would be able to exert his full
strength without having to worry about any consequences.

‘Of course, it probably won’t be the same as usual.’

He wouldn’t be able to increase the mana he could utilise simply by training. Lukas’
magical power hadn’t disappeared, it had only been restrained by invisible chains.

Perhaps, as the voice said, the only things that would be to break through these
chains were the ‘items’ scattered around the world.

He couldn’t use his divine magic power, endtongue, or even his external force.

The same went for his Demigod abilities and other high-level spells.

Lukas Trowman had truly become a ‘7 star Wizard’.

This reminded him of the old days.

At that time when he’d suddenly opened his eyes and realised that he’d exited the
abyss, and now possessed the body of ‘Frey Blake’.

At that time, Lukas had been able to reach 5 stars in an instant by relying on the
residual energy trapped within that body.

‘Is this better than back then?’

After all, he was two levels higher than he was at that time.

Nevertheless, Lukas decided to shake these unnecessary thoughts out of his head.

There was a lot of work to be done.

His ultimate goal was to obtain the four statues and win this game.

But before that, he had to go find his other team members who had scattered to
different places, and if he could afford to, get an item or two that would help them.

“…”

Lukas stopped walking.

Similar to his expectations, there was a city sitting at the edge of the river.

Tall, clean white walls wrapped around this city and the buildings that could be seen
above it had a certain architectural beauty that showed they weren’t built by clumsy
hands.

As he slowly approached, he spotted a figure sitting beside the river.

It was a skinny, middle-aged man. His reddish skin and mismatched clothing caused
Lukas to almost mistake him for a scarecrow.

Nevertheless, a heavy-looking club hung from his waist, and he held a fishing rod in
his hands, its hook floating in the river.

The man didn’t seem to care about Lukas’ presence, but when he narrowed the
distance to three feet, the man finally looked up at him.

His eyes were bright yellow, and his pupils were slit like a cat.

‘He isn’t human.’

Just as Lukas had this thought, the man rose up from his seat.

“What are you doing here?”

His voice was cold and sharp.

In his expression, there seemed to be a mixture of vigilance and hostility.

“You aren’t from the Heavenly Realm. Are you from the Thunder Archipelago?”
“…”

The man’s voice was indifferent, but Lukas could feel the undertones of disdain
contained within it.

Lukas simply responded without hesitation.

“Where is the Thunder Archipelago that you mentioned?”

“Quit pretending. Right. I don’t know how you got into the Heavenly Realm, but I
can’t let a guy like you roam around as he pleases.”

As the man said that, he removed the club from his waist. It was literally a club. It
was a thick stick with a blunt end that exuded an aura of primitive violence.

The hostility in the man’s expression was clear. There was no way for him to avoid
this fight.

Woowoong-

So Lukas also called upon his mana.

He had been weakened to a ridiculous level, there was no way for him to know just
how strong his opponent was, and death here would probably lead to complete soul
annihilation.

But there wasn’t even the slightest hint of tension on Lukas’ face.

***

“…I lost.”

The man lowered his head in despair.

His voice and attitude both showed that he had completely lost his will to fight.

Lukas was certain that the man wasn’t playing any tricks. He’d realised it as he
fought. This man in front of him wasn’t the wicked or treacherous type. Rather, he
seemed to be the type to prefer fair duels.
Lukas slowly calmed his man before looking at the man whose head was still bowed.

‘This is a good world to use magic.’

That was because mana could be found everywhere in this world. Even if he were to
use the same spell, the one he cast here would be twice as strong as the one cast on
Earth, and the channeling time would also be much faster.

‘It’ll be fine to use a staff before reaching 9 stars.’

Staffs and wands increased the efficiency of spell casting and mana concentration.
They were weapons that Lukas didn’t usually need, but it would be a great help for
the 7 star Lukas Trowman.

Lukas turned to the man once again.

This man, who continued to look at the ground with a defeated expression, was by
no means weak.

His use of the club and mysterious martial art together with his combat experiences
gave him the ability to win even if he met opponents stronger than himself.

It was just that his opponent this time was too strong.

His martial arts hadn’t been enough to shock Lukas, and no matter how deep his
combat experience was, it would always be shallow when compared to an Absolute
like Lukas.

“…you are very talented at sorcery. So you really were a Lightningman from the
Thunder Archipelago.”

“I’m not.”

“It doesn’t matter, in the end, I still lost.”

The man shook his head as if he didn’t believe him, then his voice became firm.

“Kill me.”

“What?”
“Do you intend to do it with your hands instead of sorcery? I’d rather not die by
strangulation, but… I suppose the loser doesn’t have a choice. I’ll have to accept it.”

It was only then that Lukas realised what the man was talking about.

“I have no intention of killing you.”

“What are you talking about…?”

The man’s eyes went wide.

“Don’t all outsiders kill us Dragonmen? There’s no way… You are really not from the
Thunder Archipelago, are you?”

“Haven’t I already told you that many times?”

Lukas’ voice carried a hint of aggravation.

“Mmm…”

The man lowered his head in thought for a while before finally speaking.

“I see. Since you don’t want to kill me then there’s no helping it.”

“What?”

The man suddenly fell down to one knee and bowed his head.

“I hereby swear allegiance to you. My Lord.”

Lukas was shocked. Was this guy joking? That didn’t seem to be the case.

Then what was he up to?

Lukas looked down at him for a while before speaking.

“Stand up first.”

“Yes.”

“…what’s your name?”

“Bargan.”

It was at that moment.

[You’ve earned the loyalty of wandering Dragon Man Fighter, ‘Bargan’.]

[Current Loyalty: 51]

Once again, the mechanical voice sounded in his ears. What did it mean for him to
hear the voice at that moment?

More importantly, could he trust it?

Lukas thought for a moment before finally opening his mouth.

“Why are you swearing your allegiance to me?”

“I am a wandering Fighter.”

“What does that matter?”

Bargain tilted his head to the side at those words.

“…do you not know about Dragonman fighters?”

“I don’t know anything.”

“I see. Mm…”

After contemplating for a while, Bargain turned to him and said.

“Before I speak, may I ask for your name?”

Lukas thought for a moment.

He wondered if he should use his real name or a pseudonym.

Each had its own pros and cons.

A pro of using his real name was that all the members of his team would be able to
find him if this news spread.

A con would be the fact that those rumors might attract his enemies as well.

“Lukas.”

In the end, Lukas decided to stick to his real name. His team needed someone to
serve as the central point, and he was the only one who could fill this role. He had to
do it even if there was a bit of risk.

“May I ask where you are from, My Lord?”

“Do I have to tell you that as well?”

“You don’t. However, if you tell me where you are from, I will be able to summarise
everything better.”

“There’s no need to summarise. Explain everything in detail.”

“Understood.”

Bargan nodded and started talking.

“This place is Combat Island, one of the Seven Floating Islands.”

“Combat Island?”

“Yes. All Dragonmen here are natural-born Fighters, and we all enjoy fighting.”

“…”

Fighters.

Lukas knew a bit about those who called themselves Fighters. Those who only took
defeat to mean death. Bargan seemed to be a particularly extreme case, but they
were all somewhat similar.

Lukas nodded before deciding to state his purpose.

“I’m looking for a statue.”

“A statue…? What kind of statue?”

“They were called the four most special statues. Do you know of them?”

“Mm…”

Bargain closed his eyes and seemed to scour his memories for a while, but he
eventually shook his head.

“I’m sorry. I fear this is also my first time hearing about them.”

Lukas wasn’t disappointed. After all, he never expected the statues to be easy to find.

Bargan then continued.

“However, someone in ‘Herui’ might know something.”

“Are you talking about that city?”

“Yes. It’s a Fighter City. There are many skilled blacksmiths there, so you might be
able to get some clues if you ask them.”
That made sense.

Of course, the only thing blacksmiths and sculptors had in common was the fact that
they made things. However, they were more likely to know more than the random
Fighter.

“…unfortunately, the blacksmiths in this area are rather snobbish. Unless one is a
powerful Fighter, they won’t even bother to talk to you, let alone make a weapon. Of
course, if they knew Lord’s true strength, their attitudes would certainly be better.”

It would be better to deal with such problems in person, so Lukas decided to not
waste time.

“First things first, let’s head to Herui. But won’t I be barred from entering? You were
able to immediately tell that I was an outsider.”

“That’s because your skin is too pale and your complexion is unique. Nevertheless,
there are quite a few outsiders here on Combat Island… Mm. Once we get into the
city, the first thing we’ll do is get you some new clothes. No matter how you look,
there should be a bit less suspicion if your clothes don’t stand out as much.”

Of course, before then, there wasn’t really anything they could do.

Bargan then added something.

***

At first, the city guards all looked at Lukas with suspicion, but their expressions soon
changed to surprise and awe.

“Did this outsider really defeat ‘Headsmasher Bargan’?”

“I really can’t believe it. He’s so skinny that it doesn’t look like he could harm a fly.”

Bargan didn’t show any displeasure at their words, he simply shook his head and
said.

“It was a complete defeat. So, can we enter?”

“Of course you can. Herui always welcomes new Fighters.”

Suddenly, the guard standing to the left spoke with a suspicious expression on his
face.

“Are you really sure he’s not from the Thunder Archipelago?”

“Of course, if that were the case, I never would have sworn allegiance to him.”

“That’s true.”

The guards all nodded before looking at Lukas with much friendlier expressions.
Thanks to that, Lukas was able to successfully enter the Fighter City of the Heavenly
Realm, Herui.

After passing through the gates, he was immediately greeted by the sight of an
enormous city.

The first thing he saw was a large road. This road was so large that ten carriages
would easily be able to pass side by side. The buildings stood on either side of the
road in an orderly manner, creating a clean image. These many stores were all of
different kinds. From restaurants to clothing stores, to weapon stores.

The people walking on the street all looked different. Especially their skins.

There were people with black, brown, yellow, and even some with reddish skin like
Bargan.

But after observing them for a while, Lukas realised that Bargan was right.

There were hardly any people with white skin in the crowd.

Finally, his eyes landed on a large building at the end of the road. In fact, it was this
building that drew most of his attention after he entered the city.

“This way.”

Nevertheless, following Bargan was his current priority.

“Headsmasher Bargan. It seems you’re pretty famous.”

“Among the wandering Fighters in the city, I am a bit famous.”

Bargan replied calmly.

“The easiest way to prove yourself on Combat Island is to be strong. Lord has
managed to make me submit, that in itself is some proof.”

“Where is the Thunder Archipelago?”

For some reason, everyone seemed to think that Lukas came from that place. A bit of
emotion appeared on Bargan’s otherwise expressionless face.

It was the same disdain he’d displayed when they first met.

“There is an in the heart of the Great Ocean when thunder and lightning
continuously strike without ceasing.”

“It seems that you all don’t get along with people from that place.”

“They’re just a bunch of garbage with no respect or honour. One day, we will wipe
those bastards out.”

Lukas nodded for a moment before pointing towards the large building in the
distance.

“What’s that?”

“That’s the arena. Its value and importance are almost unparalleled in the entirety of
Combat Island. We should probably go there soon.”

As he said, the first place Bargan took him to was a clothing store.

There, Lukas was able to buy clothes similar to Bargan’s. The clothes were large and
loose. In particular, the way the sleeves flapped with every movement bothered him
greatly.

“Do I really have to wear this?”

“If it bothers you, we could always get you a belt and some straps.”

“I would appreciate that.”

“Understood.”

After a while, a clerk from the clothing store returned with a black belt and some
wrappings for the wrist and ankles. The forearms and thighs still flapped, but at the
very least, it wasn’t as bad as before.

The clothes that Lukas had been wearing when he entered this world were all sold to
the clothing store. Nevertheless, since it wasn’t the type of clothes that Dragonmen
preferred, they weren’t able to get much from the sale.

“100 eru. It should be 125 eru, but I’ll give you a small discount for the weird
clothes.”

“Thank you.”

This price was naturally paid by Bargan.

Lukas turned to him and said.

“I owe you.”

“Everything I have belongs to you. Would you prefer to hold the money instead?”

As he said that, Bargan shook the money bag he’d just taken out.

“Of course, I’m just a wandering Fighter who lives day by day. So I don’t really have a
lot of money…”

“…are all Fighters like this?”

“Huh?”

“All I did was defeat you once, but you truly intend to give everything you have to
me.”

“You didn’t just win, you also showed me mercy. From the moment you spared my
life, it became yours.”

“…”
After hearing this response that Bargan said as if it was natural, Lukas became
speechless for a while. Even if he expected their way of thinking to be different, this
was too different.

Dragonman… Come to think of it, Bargan said he was a Dragonman.

Did that mean that all Dragonmen were like this?

‘There are so many things that I don’t know.’

This was a new world, so this was natural. And Lukas also had the bad habit of being
curious about everything whenever he entered a new world.

“I think it would be better for you to keep the money. After all, I have no idea of how
money works in the Heavenly Realm.”

“Understood. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to inform me.”

After that conversation, they left the clothing store.

Lukas was immediately able to notice that the suspicious gazes he received were
reduced by a considerable amount.

“I know a blacksmith near here. We should look for him first and find out about the
statue.”

Just as Lukas nodded and moved to follow him, the street suddenly became noisy.

“It’s a Champion.”

“A Champion is here.”

Lukas was easily able to see the excitement in their eyes. Even Bargan was the same.

“The Champion is making her journey. Now that I think about it, she did have a
match scheduled for tonight.”
Lukas turned to Bargan.

“The Champion?”

“It means Ruler of the Herui Arena. With her overwhelming power and win rate, she
has completely dominated the arena.”

Lukas turned to look at the figure in the middle of the parting crowd.

It was a woman.

She had long hair and deep eyes. Only one sword hung at her waist, but the aura and
killing intent spewing from her body couldn’t be ignored.

Nevertheless, the first thing Lukas noticed wasn’t this aura that was erupting from
this woman’s body.

Instead, it was her familiar face. No, to put it more bluntly, it was a face that he was
well acquainted with.

Nevertheless, there were subtle differences when compared to the face that Lukas
knew, so he couldn’t help but wonder if it was just a similar looking person.

However, it didn’t take long for him to realise that wasn’t the case.

Because at that moment, the woman’s gaze shifted to the side before locking onto
him.

With a snap, she immediately stopped walking. Then, she looked over at Lukas as if
she’d seen a ghost before muttering in a disbelieving voice.

“…Master?”

Seeing this, Lukas also became confident in her identity and called out to her.
“Ha-rin.”

The Champion who was revered by the city was none other than his first disciple,
Min Ha-rin. (TL: Ha, bet you didn’t see that coming)

***

Lukas followed Min Ha-rin. He found that she was staying in a magnificent mansion
near the center of the city.

This was the building that was gifted to the Champion.

Before entering, Lukas ordered Bargan to wait outside. While he appeared surprised
that the two of them knew each other, he simply followed his orders without making
a single sound.

“…”

“…”

Sitting face to face in the room, the master and disciple didn’t speak for a while.

The reason Lukas was speechless was because of the intense emotion that covered
Min Ha-rin’s face.

Tears had welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

After a while, Min Ha-rin wiped her eyes before speaking in a very shaky voice.

“Master, I’m really glad you’re okay. Did something happen?”

“Right… You seem to have gone through a lot.”

“Yeah.”

Min Ha-rin’s mouth opened and closed for a while before she was finally able to calm
herself.

“Where have you been all this while? I couldn’t find a clue even after searching the
entire Heavenly Realm for you, Master…”
Lukas had a sense of incongruity from Min Ha-rin’s words.

It was the same feeling of incongruity that he’d felt when he first saw her in the
street.

“Ha-rin.”

“Yes?”

“How long have you been here?”

A dim light shined in Min Ha-rin’s eyes at the strange question.

“…I haven’t been counting, but it has probably been around five years.”

The sense of incongruity that Lukas felt finally began to take shape.

He then spoke in a heavy voice.

“I just arrived.”

“Huh?”

In a way, this conclusion that he’d reached meant that things might be even worse
than he initially expected.

Nevertheless, it was an issue that had to be clarified.

Lukas looked at Min Ha-rin for a moment before speaking.

“I don’t think we all entered the Great World at the same time.”

***

Min Ha-rin had been a bit startled by Lukas’ statement for a while, but she eventually
regained her calm.

Her appearance caused Lukas to feel a bit more maturity in her than before.

It was strange, on one hand, he was proud, but on the other, he felt a bit sad.
Five years.

That was a relatively short time for an Absolute like him, but during this time, Min
Ha-rin had grown a considerable amount.

As her Master, Lukas couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret that he hadn’t been able to
witness the process for himself.

No. That thought was a luxury in itself.

He should be grateful that he was able to reunite with even one member of his team.

“Did you hear any word about the others?”

“…I’ve stayed in Herui for about two years now. Before that, I traveled around the
Heavenly Realm looking for you and the others.”

“…”

The memories seemed to have caused Min Ha-rin to become depressed as she wasn’t
able to continue. From her expression, Lukas was able to understand a bit even if she
didn’t say it.

It was then that he also understood why she had been so shocked when she saw him
for the first time.

For Lukas, he was just reuniting with his disciple after a brief separation, but for Min
Ha-rin, she had been searching for Lukas for more than five years.

‘And she hadn’t been able to find a single clue.’

No matter how positively she tried to think or how much faith she had in her master.
After such a long time, it was only natural that she would begin to think the worst.

Just before seeing Lukas, Min Ha-rin’s eyes had been lifeless. Killing intent poured
from every pore on her body, and she seemed to exude a sense of tiredness that was
akin to a living corpse.

The five years that Min Ha-rin had experienced was probably something that Lukas
wouldn’t be able to understand or repay her for.
“You did well.”

So, instead, he just told her his thoughts.

“…”

Min Ha-rin slowly lowered her head at those words.

She’d spent the last five years on her own, fending for herself in an unknown world.

A lot of things had happened in that time, and there were a lot of things within her
that had changed as well.

This might have been one of them.

The current Min Ha-rin didn’t want to let her master see her cry.

***

Min Ha-rin briefly explained to Lukas everything she had experienced in the past five
years.

First of all, she told him that her starting point hadn’t been Combat Island, but
‘Untamed Island’ located in the northwest.

“Untamed Island?”

“Yeah. There are a few Dragonmen there, and there are even Dragonling who have
long since lost their intelligence.”

In the first month after her arrival, every day had been a constant struggle for
survival. There were many kinds of Dragonlings on the island, and many of them
could take her life in various ways.

There wasn’t a single place where she could rest with confidence. To survive, she had
to become stronger, and Min Ha-rin struggled desperately because she didn’t want to
die.

Then, after a long month of fighting.

Min Ha-rin was able to become slightly accustomed to life on the ‘Untamed Island’.

“Soon after entering this world, I found that my magical power was constantly
growing stronger. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have survived the Untamed Island.”

“The mana density in this world is extremely high. This is the best place to increase
and train your mana.”

Lukas nodded as he said that.

He didn’t know how strong the Dragonlings who inhabited the Untamed Island were,
but a month of constantly fighting for her own survival definitely had an explosive
impact on her growth.

“The Seven Islands of the Heavenly Realm all have different sizes. The Untamed
Island is among the largest. I’m not sure of its exact size, but the map I saw showed it
was at least a few million square kilometers.”

Millions of square kilometers.

That was truly an overwhelming size. In fact, such a size was comparable to a small
continent. (1)

“I stayed on the Untamed Island for about a year.”

After she got used to the environment, Min Ha-rin was able to catch her breath.

At the very least, she gained the ability to secure a safe place for herself, and she also
learned which Dragonlings she couldn’t face.

It was true that humans were extremely adaptable creatures.

This was proven by the fact that Min Ha-rin was able to gradually get used to living
on such a dangerous island.

“Later, I also found what I think are mutated Dragonlings. I also ate many precious
herbs and fruits. Thanks to that, I was able to become stronger much faster.”

“Weren’t you afraid that you were putting yourself at risk by eating those unknown
things?”
“The information window said that it was okay to eat them.”

Lukas couldn’t help but tilt his head at the unfamiliar title.

“…information window?”

“Ah, I forgot that you only just arrived.”

After saying that, Min Ha-rin drew her sword and held it in front of Lukas.

“If you pay close attention to this sword, something will appear.”

“…”

The sword that Min Ha-rin drew was much sharper than Lukas expected and seemed
to have an extraordinary aura of its own. Lukas admitted that it wasn’t a famed
sword, but it wasn’t too far from one.

Then he decided to do what Min Ha-rin said.

[Scarlet Killament]

[A one-handed sword forged from the fang of a mutated Dragonling. It seems to

embody the ferocity and violence of the Red Dragonlings.

Once a day grants the ability to use ‘Dragon’s Roar’.]

Lukas raised an eyebrow.

(Note:

1. For reference’s sake, Australia is roughly 7.7m sq km)