Chapter 60

Chapter 60. The Gap in Caliber (3)

"I, Jesus Christ, decree—."

The former Grand Canyon.

The current Church of Jesus.

Atop the church, built by converting hundreds of kilometers of canyon, an intense golden light flickered.

A massive cross-shaped divinity.

Its tip pointed toward the distant Republic of Korea.

Ziiiiiing———.

A precursor of [Day of Holy Judgment] — the Authority Jesus Christ was channeling.

Before this 'miracle of God,' ready to fire at any moment, countless people waited.

Their faces bore fear, shock, admiration — every complex expression imaginable.

Why had fear and dread appeared among those who had been celebrating Jesus's display?

"Jesus Christ!!!"

Because they had seen the reality of North Korea, revealed through Jesus's Authority.

America's high-ranking Hunters and key politicians were all present.

"Truly, a being worthy of a living god calling him brother."

The high-ranking Hunters were aghast at North Korea's conditions while marveling at Shin Si-woo's power.

The horrors of North Korea, projected through Jesus's [miracle], were displayed vividly before everyone's eyes—

"Wh-what is that enormous greatsword…"

The Hunters had no choice but to realize.

That Shin Si-woo's power surpassed a Transcendent's.

Since everyone present was a Transcendent, there could be no disagreement.

'……'

Watching the Hunters' reactions, President Bill Johnson and the other officials simply assumed something terrifying must be happening.

All that ordinary eyes could see was the Patriot's bombardment spreading across North Korea.

The raw, unfiltered footage revealed by Jesus's power — Shin Si-woo's sword reshaping reality by the second — was nearly impossible for non-Awakened to discern.

However…

'Where has human rights gone?'

A question only those in politics could ask arose.

China had occupied North Korea.

Yet seeing North Korean land devoid of a single person stirred a thousand thoughts.

That black ichor-like substance covering the earth, the black mist choking the sky…

Cities reduced to bombed-out rubble.

'If North Korea looks like this, what state is China in?'

Could a global coalition even solve that problem?

'If 1.5 billion people have been reduced to that…'

Just as President Bill Johnson was lost in every possible nightmare.

"Ahh——!"

Jesus exclaimed.

Everyone turned to the largest presence in the room.

2 meters 50, the towering Jesus.

Atop his twin-tailed hair, the pink crown of thorns blinked ceaselessly.

He was clutching the massive cross and murmuring.

"You too…"

Jesus was staring somewhere with eyes stretched impossibly wide.

At North Korea, observed through his own Authority.

And the incomprehensible phenomenon occurring there.

Jesus's four-white eyes flashed.

With his pupils contracted to their limit, his gaze felt more chilling than ever.

But it was not anger.

Siiik—.

From those lips, curled upward as though they might tear — anyone could see that Jesus was rejoicing.

Why was God rejoicing?

No one in the room knew the reason.

Only Jesus knew.

'Brother, you too have seen it.'

The moment Shin Si-woo had locked eyes with [the Eye].

Jesus had perceived what was happening to him.

Because he had undergone a similar experience.

'Much like [the Lamentation] that I saw.'

The massive undead crisis that had consumed Canada and encroached on the American mainland.

Its true form had been [the Lamentation] — a world mired in grief.

Jesus had killed that Lamentation.

He had killed the dimension in which they dwelled.

And likewise—

<[The Eye] has been killed.>

The World spoke.

It seemed Shin Si-woo had killed the thing called [the Eye].

A path of salvation had opened for the lost lambs.

Jesus rejoiced.

Ziiing——.

Jesus's pupils returned to normal.

His widened eyes shrank, four-white becoming three-white.

The holy grace that had blanketed the church flowed slowly back into Jesus's body.

The [Day of Holy Judgment], charged to its limit, dissipated without firing.

"J-Jesus, what on earth just—"

"Shin Si-woo. He is my brother — one who shares the same pain."

"What exactly happened… What is the Eye—"

President Bill Johnson asked.

What was happening in that far-off land called South Korea?

But instead of answering, Jesus brought one long finger to Bill Johnson's lips.

Shh!

Do not disturb God's contemplation.

Jesus had glimpsed into Shin Si-woo's depths.

Shin Si-woo, who had crossed into another dimension — or world — and killed the thing called [the Eye].

In that moment, Jesus had witnessed a fragment of Shin Si-woo's inner world.

'Shin Si-woo, you too possess a deep and complex world.'

The thing called [Awakening].

The world of trials that Shin Si-woo held within.

That place was an enigmatic world where unfathomable darkness and endlessly bright light coexisted.

Much like himself, who harbored hell within.

I have seen.

I have felt.

And so I shall declare.

"Bill, heaven shall remain whole."

Jesus smiled.

To him, the present world was heaven.

'Brother, you too can kill the beings beyond the wall.'

And Shin Si-woo.

His arrival was 'hope' that had appeared in heaven.

* * *

'Something has changed.'

I hadn't resolved all of North Korea's problems yet.

So no Voice of the World or status-window rewards had been granted.

Even so, I sensed my body was undergoing some transformation.

⦗An enlightenment, it seems.⦘

As expected of Reinhardt.

He detected the fruits of cultivation with uncanny precision.

His explanation: having seen something beyond perception and survived — that alone was reason for one's level to rise.

⦗It would be best to consume the Eye now. The moment of achievement is the easiest time to adapt.⦘

The Eye Iris had made.

It was simply [the Eye].

That's right.

'So I have to eat that.'

[The Eye] looked…

Exactly like a real eyeball.

A white sclera tinged crimson, and a pupil dark as the abyss.

How I consumed it would determine what my [Eye] became.

⦗The refinement of the Eye will be complete shortly.⦘

'I have to eat something that looks like a person's eyeball…'

Iris had crunched hers down and gained 'Death-Summoning Eyes.'

Yuria had purified and absorbed hers to achieve 'Eyes of the Noble Divine.'

Reinhardt had cultivated while refining the energy, dissolving it into his own aura.

Muratan had beaten his into colorless iron and consumed it.

But…

⦗We present the Eye.⦘

Zzt——.

On the jewel embedded in the Baby Sword's hilt.

Slowly, [the Eye] began to appear.

The Eye that Iris had secured.

But…

"This is the Eye?"

The Eye I'd received looked nothing like any I'd seen before.

A white sclera with a black pupil.

Almost like an ordinary eyeball.

Yet around the sclera and the pupil, intricate lines were densely packed.

Just as I was tilting my head, wondering what they were.

⦗This maiden's heart—.⦘

Iris's words were suddenly cut short by a gruff voice.

⦗I built some slapdash building and had time to spare, so I touched it up. While I was at it, I adjusted it to suit you, Sword Master.⦘

Muratan muttered bluntly.

⦗Whether it'll satisfy your fussy standards, I don't know — but it's definitely superior to any [Eye] we've ever seen!⦘

In short, all my swords had collaborated to refine this [Eye].

And it was said to possess performance overwhelmingly above the Eyes my swords had consumed.

'An Eye refined with my swords' powers?'

Whatever it was, it was extraordinary.

I felt almost guilty, having done nothing to deserve it.

"Thank you."

This kind of work could only be led by Muratan.

So I thanked him as their representative, and he grumbled his way into disappearance as always.

⦗Consider the demons — that iron — as my gift in return. That 'Awakening' iron is also somewhat interesting, so keep it in mind.⦘

Awakening as iron.

Muratan found Awakened deeply fascinating.

He might believe [Awakening] could be separated.

Anyway, remembering his wish, I picked up [the Eye].

———The Eye———

An Eye said to be more powerful than any my swords had seen in [Raise a Sword].

Honestly, it wasn't appetizing.

But just as my swords had done, I ate it without hesitation.

Sreureuk—.

The instant it entered my mouth, it dissolved.

Then a message appeared.

Paat!

[The Eye of ■■.]

An eye was an eye.

But 'someone's Eye'? What did that mean?

My head tilted involuntarily.

Unfortunately, there was no time to ponder.

Paat!

[The Eye has been acquired.]

The ■■ message had already vanished.

A complete Eye had been absorbed into me.

The exact change didn't manifest as a status-window entry, but.

'It's different.'

My field of vision had changed.

The range of what my eyes could perceive had changed.

My location was a perfect fortress, built to protect me.

A space I couldn't freely leave.

Yet through it, lines were now visible.

That was when Reinhardt said.

⦗The starting point for severing all things.⦘

The sword begins with point, line, and plane.

Point means a thrust — signifying purpose.

Next is line.

The beginning of the act of cutting — the stage where points connect to form a trajectory.

For reference, I already knew all of this through absorbing my swords' experience.

But—

"I can see lines. In all things in the world…"

The meaning of [the Eye] was this.

It allowed me to see the lines in whatever I wished to cut — enabling me to sever anything.

Paat!

[Eye — Synchronization 1%]

This was merely 1%.

An intense exhilaration — different from Transcendence — washed over me.

I willed it.

[The Inviolable Fortress]

The steel walls surrounding me on all sides parted at my will.

I wanted to see the world through these eyes.

Climbing the ramparts, I walked along the battlements.

North Korean land — still consumed by darkness despite the bombardment's light — was clearly visible.

But it was definitively different from before.

How was North Korea's darkness constructed?

What was its source?

I could see the rough flow.

What would it be like at 100%?

I would be able to look at a being like [the Eye] without losing my mind.

Beyond that, I would be able to swing my sword at it.

And so—

"Time to start cleaning up."

I looked around.

An absurdly massive castle built in the middle of Pyongyang.

From below, I could feel the presence of many living people.

Even the survivors I'd passed by had been carefully gathered.

Just like Muratan.

And—

"Hey!! Junior!"

The Patriot's carrier, which had somehow advanced all the way to Pyongyang, was approaching my castle.

Standing at the prow, waving flutteringly — the Patriot.

But for some reason?

'The carrier seems to be wobbling.'

* * *

The carrier was docked against the castle.

Or — was 'docked' even the right word?

'No idea.'

Anyway, the Patriot tilted his head and asked Shin Si-woo.

The carrier wasn't what mattered right now.

"Junior, so right now… what are you suggesting?"

Shin Si-woo — that bastard was insane.

Beyond the pale.

"We should at least see Mt. Baekdu before we head back."

Shin Si-woo, who had flattened Pyongyang with lava and built his own castle.

The Great-Korean-Imperialist, openly displaying his ambition, had made an absurd proposal.

"Mt. Baekdu?"

North Korea was still submerged in pitch-black darkness.

They hadn't even fully secured Pyongyang yet…

"Junior, you sure about this?"

The Patriot knew Shin Si-woo had used multiple swords.

Did that mean he could still freely use those insanely powerful swords?

"More than enough."

Come to think of it, he still hadn't seen the glittering sword.

Maybe there really was no time limit — maybe he just drew it when needed.

'He's conserving power because using them recklessly would collapse the world, like Jesus.'

Those terrifying blades might be capable of the same…

'No — they definitely are.'

The Patriot was certain.

This was a madman who'd built a castle over all of Pyongyang.

Above all, hadn't Shin Si-woo killed some unknown being — [the Eye]?

'The Voice of the World.'

The thing everyone had heard and questioned.

The Patriot figured it was probably a monster similar to the hideous World Tree he'd faced.

Or possibly something even worse.

'A catastrophe that hasn't yet reached this world.'

Shin Si-woo had gone and found it and killed it.

Absolutely terrifying.

It hadn't even come to Earth, and he'd hunted it down.

That temperament explained everything.

"Junior, are we hitting the Chings too?"

"I only plan to go as far as Mt. Baekdu."

Shin Si-woo answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

The Patriot asked again.

"S-so you're really going to push all the way to China? Even I know half of Mt. Baekdu has always been Chinese territory."

"We'll know once we get to Mt. Baekdu."

At that unyielding stance, the Patriot nodded.

"Well, I'm all for it!"

Shin Si-woo deliberated calmly but seriously.

The ichor-like substance covering North Korea's land.

The black mist veiling the sky.

He had confirmed that something functioning as a [core] existed near Mt. Baekdu.

He had seen it, so he knew.

And so he said.

"I don't know about all of China, but I intend to clean up as far as Mt. Baekdu and its surroundings."

He was certain that annihilating all of China was beyond him.

But—

'I can at least gauge the Caliber.'

Shin Si-woo had obtained one certainty.

A certainty he could hold because he'd obtained [the Eye] and seen.

Saaaaaaa————.

A shape clearly visible through the darkness.

Something driven into Mt. Baekdu like an iron spike.

It had the form of a sword.

No — it was undeniably a sword.

'Who are you?'