Chapter 24

Chapter 24. Scabbard (Sword House) (1)

I had suddenly been told something shocking.

"Cult Leader Gye Man-hwi is an Apostle."

The madman who grew Gates and detonated them.

I had internally suspected he was a demon worshipper, but…

'He's already become an Apostle?'

Among the demon worshippers, there existed a ruling class.

Those were the Apostles.

Their purpose was to summon 'Dark Gods or Outer Gods,' and there were as many types and as many numbers of these Dark Gods and Outer Gods as there were Bizarre.

"Is Gye Man-hwi preparing for a Descent?"

"H-how did you…… yes, he is."

Descent meant causing a Dark God whose wavelength matched the Apostle's to manifest into the world.

"The Gate Breaks happening across the world. Are those all your people's doing?"

"N-not all. The demon worshippers don't know one another well, so…"

If that were the case, the situation on Earth took a considerably strange turn.

'They're artificially setting off Gates to scatter despair across the world.'

It had been similar in [Raise a Sword].

Setting off Black Gates to corrode the world.

Apostles of Dark Gods offering themselves as sacrifices to make the strong of the world Fall.

'This isn't something I can handle alone.'

Earth was too big to be handled by a single Transcendent.

The population, of course, and the sheer number of nations.

Nations whose heads had cracked like China — dialogue itself was impossible.

"S-Si-woo, is this real?"

Apparently, the truth of the world weighed heavily on Big Sis Seol-a as well — she asked with a stricken face.

"Big Sis, don't worry too much. Who are we, after all?"

"Th-the only nation that owns Transcendent Shin Si-woo?"

"That too, but… aren't we also America's sole ally?"

On top of that, I was the brother of the living Jesus.

Muttering that she shouldn't worry, I continued the interrogation.

"P-please. Grant me peace—. Release me from this emptiness of no desires—."

Having been worked over by Yuria, the demon worshipper answered every question obediently.

I had no intention of granting him peace yet.

I calmly organized my thoughts.

'It's similar to Raise a Sword, yet subtly different.'

In [Raise a Sword], people were born mages or knights.

When such people Fell, they became dark mages or death knights.

Earth, on the other hand, was different.

1. When a demon worshipper Falls, they wield power in reality like a Transcendent.

In exchange, they can't enter Gates.

'It's probably because Awakening itself is the root source.'

2. Demon worshippers are virtually impossible to detect.

Because of the Authority of the Dark Gods or Outer Gods.

This was the same as in [Raise a Sword].

'A means to find them, then…'

But I had six swords that had, each in their own way, seen the end of the world.

If I borrowed my swords' help, I could probably create a means to detect them.

For that, raising the Baby Sword was the top priority.

For now, I continued the interrogation.

"What were you trying to do by growing the Red Sea?"

Gye Man-hwi had set off the Red Sea in Korea and bolted for Japan.

That Red Sea's corrosion had been erased, but the [Gate] itself still remained.

Since the Gaecheonji cult leader Gye Man-hwi had artificially triggered it, only by killing him would the Red Sea be completely annihilated.

"To bring about the Descent of Cult Leader Gye Man-hwi as a Dark God… p-please, peace!!!"

The demon worshippers' purpose was always the same.

To bring about the Descent of Dark Gods and Outer Gods to this land.

The conditions were blood, despair, and death.

The Red Sea had fulfilled those three conditions.

And now, at Mount Fuji in Japan, they were repeating the same act to build up power.

'Why is Japan just leaving it be?'

A question suddenly occurred to me.

Why hadn't the Japanese government requested help from Korea?

The number of people who had died from the overflow of the Mount Fuji lava Gate wasn't small.

'Even if the Patriot is a madman, there's no reason Japan would just let it slide…'

Thud—!

"Ugh—."

I struck the demon worshipper with the flat of the blade, knocking him unconscious.

Then I asked Big Sis,

"Big Sis, didn't you say about 140,000 people had died in Japan?"

"That's right. At first, an entire city was melted whole…"

140,000 people had died.

The root cause was a Korean cult leader, Gye Man-hwi.

It should have been a matter where they summoned the Patriot, or took it up with our government — should have held someone responsible.

Something was off.

"D-don't tell me? Si-woo, are you thinking of going to Japan?"

"For now, I'm thinking of meeting with your father and the President first, then going."

Gye Man-hwi's evil deeds — a problem that needed to be dealt with.

The suspicious behavior of the Japanese government — a problem that needed to be verified.

Actually, those were secondary reasons.

More than anything else, if I went to Japan, I could obtain that thing.

'The Baby Sword's House.'

All of us lived in houses.

And yet my Baby Sword had no house.

How tragic was that?

________________________

—Ep. 10. Sword House.

"…Demon worshippers and a Dark God and an Outer God?"

The President and Senior Prosecutor Kang tilted their heads.

Something like cognitive dissonance.

Because the information I'd shared shattered every assumption they'd held until now.

The vast majority of things that appeared from Gates were monsters — creatures called monstrosities or simply monsters.

From goblins to krakens to giants.

"Are Outer Gods and Dark Gods similar to phenomena?"

Occasionally, phenomena called Bizarre appeared — like the Ghost Valley I had eliminated.

I explained the precise concepts of Dark Gods and Outer Gods to both of them.

"The catastrophes we've been seeing from Gates — imagine those appearing at a god-tier level of power."

Dark Gods and Outer Gods.

They could take the form of an enormous monster or manifest as a phenomenon or even a concept.

In [Raise a Sword], an Outer God called [The Crawling Chaos] had arrived as a calamity.

"And you're saying Gye Man-hwi, the cult leader of Gaecheonji, is trying to summon such an insane monster?"

Senior Prosecutor Kang asked with a look of disbelief.

"A-and that demon worshippers have already spread across the entire world?"

The President as well.

I nodded calmly.

"That's why I asked for a call to America…"

Before this meeting, I had made one request.

Contact America.

About an hour had passed since the message was sent, so a response should be coming soon.

Ziiik——.

The air split into the shape of a cross.

The power of Jesus, which I'd seen before.

"Brother—! You said you got some good intel?"

From within the split air, a 2-meter-50 tall black man gazed at me.

'With that ridiculous getup…'

For some reason, he was wearing a pink headband.

It looked like a children's toy, yet an immense power radiated from it.

I couldn't identify the exact abilities, but the sense was that it held enough force to casually crush the Red Sea.

Then, suddenly, I noticed something odd.

'What?'

Jesus's gaze was strange.

He was staring at Seol-a noona as though entranced!

"Oh, GOD! Who is this beauty?"

Jesus beamed and looked at Seol-a noona.

I tilted my head.

'Can he see something too?'

Come to think of it, it was truly strange.

Hadn't I felt that bizarre sensation just recently — the sense that Seol-a noona might become an Awakened?

It seemed Jesus had picked up on something similar.

That look was practically—

—Something's hidden here?

I saw through his intent.

But to everyone else, it probably just looked like Jesus smiling with universal love for all creation.

Jesus glanced at me, then burst into laughter.

"Ahh, what a truly beautiful person."

I'd faintly sensed it last time too — Jesus seemed to possess the ability to read thoughts.

Or he was extraordinarily gifted at reading the mood in situations like this.

Given he was EX-rank, it was fair to assume he had such a power.

Anyway, even at the risk of being a bit rude, I chose the direct approach.

"What did you see?"

"Oh, nothing at all. I was merely surprised that there was another person as beautiful as you. I simply must build a church in Korea soon!"

No sooner had Jesus finished speaking.

From within the split air, President Lee Seok-hyeon of South Korea and President Bill Johnson of the United States locked eyes.

Bill's gaze said he hoped someone could empathize with his hardship.

A Church of Jesus didn't come cheap, after all.

But our President—

'Was that mockery?'

He wore a grim smile and glanced at me.

As though saying, 'You don't have a Hunter like this, do you?'

'Jesus must give him a hell of a headache too.'

While thinking that, my gaze stayed on Jesus.

He seemed genuinely intent on building a church, projecting a holographic map of Korea and searching for prime real estate.

"If we factor in the tithe—"

A church in the Patriot's Korea.

The Patriot was anti-Japan, anti-US, anti-China.

"Jesus, if you do that, the aircraft carriers will be heading for the American mainland."

Now I understood why the American President was bald.

As if to underscore that, Senior Prosecutor Kang bravely pulled out [Yi Sun-sin's Axe] and glared at Jesus.

"The axe Lord Patriot gave me is ringing ominously. Jesus, I ask that you please exercise restraint."

"Hmm, Korea is certainly a conservative country."

Jesus murmured with a regretful expression.

"There are no limits to I, Jesus Christ. I would love to break through the Patriot's aircraft carriers and build a church on this land. Oh, the Gyeongbokgung site is quite tempting—"

Thwack!

A heavy sound came from behind me.

It sounded like Seol-a noona's father slapping his forehead in anguish.

If the national heritage site Gyeongbokgung were converted into a church, an annihilation-war between the Patriot and Jesus would erupt.

If this topic went on any further, Senior Prosecutor Kang's axe would probably fly at Jesus.

"We'll think about the church later. First—"

I swiftly got to the main point.

The purpose for which we'd arranged this meeting.

"—This is a demon worshipper."

I showed Jesus the man I'd knocked out in the interrogation room.

"Ooh… killing intent — no. Something stickier than that—"

Having Transcended while holding an Ego Sword, I could confirm: Jesus was a being strong enough to genuinely claim to be a god.

So I'd expected he would sense it upon seeing one.

Just as he'd perceived the premonition of Awakening.

"Scum like this are defiling my land, America — the land of I, Jesus Christ?"

Jesus's eyes grew grave.

Much conversation followed.

Most of it was an exchange of information about demon worshippers, and the US and Korea even signed an accord to provide unstinting support in times of crisis as allied nations.

With China sitting above the 38th Parallel, this was an enormous gain for our country.

"Since you've given me such valuable intel, I have something to share as well."

Jesus spoke after the discussion concluded.

"The British Doctor is looking for you, brother. He says the Queen has given orders and is requesting contact with you."

At that, US President Bill's eyelid twitched.

It seemed this had been classified.

"Good grief… that insane Doctor—"

"We cannot allow that man to set foot on Korean soil again!"

Behind every piece of good news, bad news always followed.

The President and Senior Prosecutor Kang cried out in shock.

I was just as startled.

"I'd been wondering how people trapped on their island were roaming around… so it was you who let them out, Jesus?"

Britain was a nation whose entire island was sealed within a Bizarre.

An unidentified Bizarre that had appeared the moment Britain's [Queen] declared the British Empire.

Yet the British Doctor had occasionally wandered the globe.

Learning the reason now — how could I not be surprised?

"There are circumstances between myself and the British Empire, so I can't refuse outright. But if my brother Si-woo wishes—"

The British Doctor was the culprit who had crippled Korea's SS-rank Awakened, the Sword Emperor, and caused his disappearance in the [Tower].

"—In the name of I, Jesus Christ, I can make this meeting fall through."

At Jesus's words, the President and Senior Prosecutor Kang let out sighs of relief.

"That British Doctor… is the SSS-rank Transcendent who snapped the Sword Emperor's sword in half."

"Lord Si-woo. This might actually be for the best."

Both Senior Prosecutor Kang and the President seemed to assume I didn't want to meet the British Doctor.

But…

'That guy carries an unusual sword.'

I was interested in the British Doctor.

He called it a scalpel, but my eyes — versed in the entirety of [Raise a Sword] — could not be fooled.

It was a large and mighty greatsword.

A pathetic sword that couldn't compare to my swords, yet one with its own uses.

'4th Sword, Muratan.'

My fourth sword, Muratan.

He bore the epithets of Weapon Destroyer and Skull Crusher — and was a 'blacksmith.'

Perhaps…

Muratan might react to the British Doctor's sword.

Muratan was a peculiar being who saw people as iron, but that didn't mean he had no interest in weapons themselves.

Seeing such a crude scalpel would certainly pique his curiosity.

"I absolutely want to meet the British Doctor. I'm leaving for Japan soon, so please send him there."

"Ooh, my brother! I knew you'd say that."

* * *

Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A government body that served as the diplomatic ministry — in today's world, it had reached the stage of debating its own abolishment.

But as of today, that changed.

"Ooh! An official reply has arrived from the Republic of Korea's government!"

Transcendent Shin Si-woo, who had appeared in Korea during the Patriot's absence.

News arrived that he would visit Japan.

"He said he'd stop by soon and then went silent — we were worried beyond measure…"

The Mt. Fuji Gate erosion had reached the [Suppression] stage.

From there, they needed to reduce the erosion and advance to the [Subsidence] stage, yet for years now they'd been stuck at just [Suppression].

"Thank heavens he's stepping in before our Transcendents lose their minds."

They should have demanded accountability from Korea long ago.

But…

—We absolutely cannot let a Transcendent who publicly executed 50,000 people — one with anti-Japan, anti-China, anti-US ideology — onto Japanese soil!

Under that logic, Japan had chosen to suppress on its own.

Honestly, Korea was frightening.

The Patriot especially.

"With that lunatic gone, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has come…"

"Still, just in case — let's keep His Majesty the Emperor hidden."

That was right.

Shin Si-woo was also a citizen of the Patriot's nation.

So his anti-Japan, anti-China, anti-US sentiments might run deep.

But unlike the Patriot, he was a remarkably handsome young man in his twenties.

"Handsome by human standards, at best."

SSS-rank Hunter Yuki — a peerless beauty — wore a curious smile.

She was half-elf, half-East-Asian.

Porcelain skin, long ears, and eyes that glowed with a faint, ethereal jade light.

The sight of such an inhuman beauty wearing a kimono.

It amplified the mystique.

As a half-elf, humans were 'lesser' beings in her eyes.

"Hmph, once Shin Si-woo meets me, he'll probably naturalize to Japan."

Before such a Yuki, a man with a curious glint in his eyes appeared.

Only S-rank — not particularly high — yet a Transcendent in his own right.

A Hunter whose rank was low because his combat power was weak, like Korea's 'Saintess of Fate.'

But—

"Ugh, damn it! I told you to stop playing these tricks!"

An elf of nation-toppling beauty had been seducing Yuki.

But at some point, the elf's form vanished like a mirage.

Sreureuk—.

What appeared in its place was an unidentifiable mass of metal.

A man wrapped head to toe in thick Mystery-forged armor, with a helmet covering his face.

A Transcendent whom the Japanese government had forced to live in a top-security quarantine zone.

He had stepped outside.

[The Brainwasher]

Unofficial S-rank Hunter, Sato Masaki.

His objective was to make Shin Si-woo naturalize to Japan.

"If even Jesus was briefly controlled by me…"

In truth, the Japanese government planned to use this opportunity to extract an enormous price from South Korea.

By stealing the being called Shin Si-woo.