Chapter 23

Chapter 23. Bizarre (3)

Demon worshippers.

They were bastards impossible to get a handle on.

'Unknown origins.'

The demon worshippers were beings who corrupted all things in the world and offered themselves up to the darkness to accelerate the world's end.

Even within [Raise a Sword], finding them and preventing them ahead of time had been nearly impossible.

To begin with, unless you were at very close range, you couldn't detect their presence.

And yet…

'The South Korean government did what even my swords couldn't?'

I'd thought that with Earth having [Mysteries], they might find out through something related to it — but no.

The reality exceeded my expectations by a wide margin.

"Big Sis, how in the world did you find them?"

Big Sis Seol-a led me to the place where they had apparently caught the demon worshipper.

Tilting her head slightly, she said,

"You said you have to kill at least 100 people to become a demon worshipper, right?"

"That's right."

"The government dug through every Hunter's records and pulled up only the ones whose raid teams had members die."

"Ahh…"

It was a method only the South Korean government could pull off.

Only because the strongest Transcendent in Korea — the Patriot — forced strict discipline on every single Hunter was it possible.

Thanks to that, all Gate raid records and Tower information was stored on WorldNet.

"Turns out there were people whose raid companions died at unusually high rates."

"And you interrogated those people after narrowing them down?"

"SS-rank Hunter Im Chang-sik tried to interrogate them personally by putting them into a Public Gate—"

Here, I heard a shocking account.

"And suddenly, a few of them Fell and attacked Im Chang-sik."

SS-rank Hunter Im Chang-sik.

A figure who had received the trial of becoming a disciple to an eccentric mage and an eccentric swordsman, and Awakened as a [Mage-Swordsman].

He wasn't extraordinary enough to be SSS-rank, but he was better than most S-ranks, so he was positioned at SS-rank.

From the public's perspective, he was a steady bowl-of-rice sort of presence.

"So what happened?"

Once you reached S-rank or above, temporary Transcendence was possible.

Even so, I thought it'd be difficult if multiple Fallen demon worshippers rushed him at once…

"Just in case, he had on the [Pseudo-Gate Suit] that the Patriot had prepared, so the job went forward."

A [Pseudo-Gate] was what maintained an Awakened's power at all times, like a Transcendent.

Turning that into a suit meant that the effect of the bracelet I wore was amplified by several processings.

Of course, if an SS-rank Transcended, the [Mysteries] consumption would be enormous, but…

'The Patriot's "just in case" operates on a different level.'

In the end, the gist was this:

'Four or five C-rank and B-rank Hunters Fell, and the SS-rank cleaned them all up.'

A Hunter's rank was absolute.

That was why, even with the potential I'd shown, there wasn't talk of bumping me to EX.

You had to take down multiple global catastrophes like Jesus to be called EX.

As I nodded in understanding—

"In times like this, it does feel like the Patriot has done some good, I guess…"

Big Sis suddenly praised the Patriot.

I asked teasingly,

"If you like him so much, should we stop checking him?"

Big Sis's eyes went wide as she looked at me.

And then she dropped a shocker.

"Si-woo, you're going to check him — no, become hostile to him — without fail."

"I don't plan on going as far as hostility, though…"

"No, because you normalized Gwacheon, Seocho-gu property values are shooting up."

Apparently, Seoul housing prices were skyrocketing out of nowhere.

Something I hadn't imagined at all.

"The Patriot wants Seoul real estate prices below 1 billion won on average, but it's going the opposite way right now. The average has gone up by hundreds of millions."

Even within Gangnam, one of the wealthiest districts — with some of the most expensive land in the country — was Seocho-gu.

Despite Ghost Valley right below it in Gwacheon pouring out its curses, prices had stayed in the billion-won range.

"Apartment prices are climbing by hundreds of millions."

And apparently they were returning to pre-Gate-incident levels.

"My father and the President think you're preparing to check the Patriot in earnest?"

On top of that, the government thought I'd been trying to one-up the Patriot.

Naturally, I had no such intent.

I had only headed to <Ghost Valley> because there was something nutritious there for Iris.

But with all the things I'd done, offering excuses was—

"Let's go meet this demon worshipper first, shall we?"

I smiled sheepishly and gestured ahead.

[Special-Grade Criminal Containment Facility]

We had arrived at our destination at some point.

A prison made of a solid block of Mysteries, built to contain powerful Transcendents.

Inside was the demon worshipper.

How had the demon worshippers of [Raise a Sword] and Earth diverged? I was about to find out the answer.

* * *

"C-rank Hunter Yu Sang-jun. He's an Awakened in the [Mage] class, for starters."

Big Sis pointed at the man bound inside the prison.

She handed me a sheet of paper — on it was information about [Yu Sang-jun — C-rank Hunter].

———————

Personality: As he was exploited for ten years as a low-ranking apprentice mage of a mage tower in his trial, he shut his heart and developed aphasia.

Sociability: F

Communication: F

Violent Tendencies: F

———————

Utterly ordinary.

"Records like this mean nothing."

I fixed my gaze on him.

"Asour-Dark-God-protects-us-we-shall-be-eternal-and-immortal—"

The Hunter Yu Sang-jun, who was a demon worshipper and had even Fallen, was muttering strange incantations.

With his Fall, the whites and blacks of his eyes had inverted, and a faint mana was leaking from his entire body.

"O Dark God—. Summon-forth-the-Gate-and-liberate-the-oppressed-Awakened."

With dry lips, he rattled on in mad praise of the Dark God—

'Same as Raise a Sword.'

The highest-ranked Interdiction inscribed on the demon worshippers.

No interrogation would get through in this state.

Even torture would only produce screams — no useful information.

"Is interrogation even possible?"

"Of course not! That's why I called you in."

Big Sis apparently had extraordinary nerve.

She spoke to me matter-of-factly, even looking at the demon worshipper before us.

She seemed somehow full of energy.

"Si-woo, you can do it, right?"

Over the twelve years I'd played [Raise a Sword], a distant stretch of time had passed inside the game.

The enemies that could be called the first principal adversaries were the 'demon worshippers.'

I had tried practically everything to deal with them, but there was little I'd managed to uncover.

Rather than trying to find their origins, devising countermeasures had been easier.

'Removing the most critical problems caused by Fallings before they could happen.'

Like erasing the World Tree before it Fell, or assassinating a certain kingdom's king before he could become a demon worshipper.

But around the time I was approaching [2nd Sword, Yuria Lanestia]'s ending, I became able to interrogate demon worshippers.

[Through the Oath of the Chaste, 'Yuria Lanestia's holiness has surpassed its limits and reached the Ultimate.]

Trapped in a room of time the Outer God had created, Yuria had, over eons spent fighting alone, achieved an enlightenment of her own.

And thus—

[The sword, responding to its user, transcends the spiritual world.]

[It can affect the spiritual world beyond the barriers of Dark Gods and Outer Gods.]

The Interdiction inscribed on the demon worshippers.

The sword's spiritual capacity — its holiness — had grown strong enough to pierce it.

Back then, I'd already been approaching the ending, so I hadn't made much use of it, but now was different.

'The problem is…'

"Big Sis, you might see something a little grim — is that all right?"

The [Interrogation] of the 2nd Sword, Yuria, was terrifying.

More than the interrogation itself, what followed was true horror.

I didn't know exactly what they experienced.

But those who'd been subjected to it would beg to be killed while confessing everything.

"Me? Pff, that's nothing!"

Big Sis shouted as she drew closer.

She looked like she was looking forward to it.

"Well, in that case…"

If anyone could be trusted, it was Big Sis Seol-a.

Iris might be a different matter, but Yuria was a Holy Sword, so there was nothing to hesitate about when wielding her in front of others.

And so, I approached the bound demon worshipper.

"—Dark-God-and-Outer-God-shall-we—"

He rambled on and on.

If this went on any longer, the Dark God would seize his soul and he'd die.

Before that, I would pierce the [Interdiction] and get the truth out of this C-rank Hunter Yu Sang-jun.

I raised the Baby Sword.

And in my heart, I called upon Yuria.

Paat!

[You have equipped Yuria Lanestia, the Last Holy Empress of the World.]

[The Oath of the Chaste compounds.]

[Holiness increases further.]

Saaaaaaa———.

Wreathed in brilliant wings, the sacred golden greatsword appeared.

And Yuria greeted me.

【Ahh… the Sword Master who takes the lead in all things. At last, I understand the Sword Master's noble will!!!】

A sudden outpouring of praise.

Then she asked,

【Shall I purify that vile creature?】

From the tip of the sword, a golden light that felt faintly crazed began to flow.

But…

"Wrong direction, though."

Somehow, the golden light was flowing toward Big Sis Seol-a.

【I can clearly sense a peculiar power.】

A peculiar power from Big Sis Seol-a?

'Perhaps…'

I had a certain suspicion.

Just as I had — perhaps Big Sis Seol-a was also undergoing some kind of 'trial.'

It seemed that really was the case.

'If Big Sis Awakens, something spectacular is going to happen.'

Judging by Yuria's reaction, there was indeed something about Big Sis.

In any case, I told Yuria she should interrogate the demon worshipper, not Big Sis Seol-a, and turned the direction of the blade.

The struggling fiend shook his body.

The target I needed to interrogate.

"Mmph mmph mmph mmph!!!!"

Divine power that transcended the [spiritual world].

Of course, since I possessed every enlightenment, I could naturally wield that power.

Paat!

[Heretic Inquisition activates.]

But of course, the one actually interrogating that demon worshipper was Yuria.

【A Fallen demon worshipper… following the Sword Master's will, I shall uncover the truth!】

Vvvng—.

I laid the blade atop the demon worshipper.

A brilliant golden light dyed the inside of the prison, and a massive pillar appeared.

[Chamber of Truth]

Yuria's spiritual interrogation chamber.

It supposedly forced one to experience a world of no desires for eons of time—

Separate from that gruesome ability, the effect itself was utterly holy.

"Wow…"

Big Sis Seol-a watched me with a look of admiration.

Yuria's duration was now 10 seconds.

With my Transcendent cognition, I sliced and sliced through time and watched the process of the demon worshipper being interrogated.

I could feel his inner self being shaken.

Even I, Transcendent and omnipotent, couldn't intrude into the spiritual world — so all I had was what I could feel — but—

【M-my, he was a vile one — met with three different women, no less. Sword Master! I have laundered his soul!!!】

Watching the demon worshipper come to his senses, I couldn't help but praise the power.

"P-please, kill me. I'll tell you anything, anything at all!!!"

His inverted eyes remained unchanged.

His haggard appearance was the same.

But his mind had returned.

To the demon worshipper, I asked the question I had been most curious about until now.

"Gye Man-hwi, the Gaecheonji cult leader who set off the Red Sea. That bastard's a demon worshipper too, right?"

Perhaps the demon worshippers had already formed an enormous power bloc.

* * *

'He erased a Gate-less corrosion?'

The Prime Minister of the great British Empire.

Howard gazed at the video of Shin Si-woo.

His eyes were full of greed.

'Could a sea-path for the Invincible Armada to pass through be opening up?'

The revival of the British Empire.

Today's Britain dreamed of it.

And they had the power to make it possible.

Britain's SSS-rank Hunters and Transcendents all possessed abilities specialized for imperial conquest.

Plunder Admiral, Jack Wilson.

Dream-Pharmacist, Janet Smith.

Pillager-Pioneer, Columbus.

And a great many more besides.

"Say, Doctor. Do you think he really ended a Gate-less corrosion?"

Prime Minister Howard asked the man seated across from him.

Britain's asymmetric power, and a thoroughly concealed unofficial EX-rank Hunter — the Doctor.

Commonly known as the British Doctor.

"Hmm, if even that Jesus, after seeing those crimson demons, spared his life, then he must have that kind of power."

In a very gentlemanly tone, with an aristocratic British accent, the Doctor spoke.

Dressed in a pure white doctor's coat, the man had a highly intellectual appearance, and his round spectacles only enhanced that charm.

He examined Shin Si-woo's video closely, as if analyzing a patient.

"He looks like the swordsman type, yet also like a mage. A peculiar ability."

"If it were you, could you handle him?"

If not in Gate raids, then in one-on-one combat — the British Doctor was a being who could not lose.

"—Naturally, yes. After all, it was I who dragged that Korean Sword Emperor into the abyss, you know…"

The British Doctor smiled wryly.

In his head, he recalled a surgical duel with Korea's SS-rank Sword Emperor.

Remembering the experience of brutally shredding a sword-wielding swordsman with a surgical scalpel brought a smile to his face of its own accord.

Out of the humiliation of that day, the Sword Emperor had obsessed over his training and had even gone missing in the [Tower].

"I'd like to have a surgical match with that Shin Si-woo fellow, too."

"If you were to face him, what are the odds?"

"If my opponent is human, I never lose."

"Then… could you go to Korea as Britain's representative and learn the secret of how he erased a Gate-less corrosion?"

"Oho—. Am I to be permitted to leave Britain?"

"Her Majesty wishes it."

"Oh, my Queen!!!"

Forgetting his dignity, the British Doctor sprang to his feet.

And then he lifted up something enormously large.

Kuguguung——!!!

It was a sword.

A very large, obscenely heavy-looking greatsword.

Despite its obscene size, the blade alone was razor-sharp enough to cut anything in the world.

No — in fact, the British Doctor could cut anything.

"With this scalpel at my side, defeat does not exist for me."

The Doctor looked out the Prime Minister's Residence window.

He could see the palace, built of brilliantly shining [Mysteries].

Paat!

[Buckingham Palace]

A building whose very name had been granted by the world.

It was the very cause of the British Empire, and the heart of Britain, holding tremendous power within.

The supreme place where Her Majesty, our great Queen, resided.

Toward that place, the British Doctor bowed respectfully.

"Your Majesty."