Chapter 55: As Fanatics Say, It’s Appalling

How can someone’s eyes do that?

She could stab someone to death with just one look! But something seemed amiss...

H-have I gone crazy?

Thump thump!

My heart pounded like crazy. Was this the bloodthirst of an S-rank Hunter? Or was it because Sung Mi-Na still looked beautiful even while glaring at me?

“How did you know?”

Thinking that she might have misunderstood me, I continued cautiously, “I have an appraisal skill... But was I mistaken...?”

“

Hmph

.” Sung Mi-Na snorted.

However, her eyes narrowed gently, so much so that I suspected if what I’d seen earlier was real.

Sung Mi-Na bowed politely at me.

“Let’s meet again soon, Mr. Yu Il-Shin.”

After saying those words, Sung Mi-Na left the room.

“

Phew

.” I let out a deep sigh, feeling relieved.

Not only did her beauty make me nervous, but the pressure of an S-rank Hunter was no joke! Not to mention, she was a Psychic-type! How scary would an S-rank Combat Hunter like Baek Yoo-Hyun be?!

Huff, I’m not sure how I could persuade people like them to become my followers.

“Mister?” Sung Mi-Ri looked at me with a complicated look.

When I saw that, I quickly grabbed a hold of myself. Due to her sister’s overwhelming presence, I completely forgot about Sung Mi-Ri. She didn’t look like she needed any treatment, but since I was here, I thought I should just give it a test.

“Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, shall we head to the rooftop for a moment?”

***

I didn’t invite her to the rooftop to enact the scene behind that famous movie line,

“Follow me to the roof!

[1]

”

Hadn’t I grown from the most recent incident? As such, I might be able to break those chains once and for all...

I looked into Sung Mi-Ri’s true essence. Then, I activated my skill at the chains that bound the lightning monster within her.

“Crushing Forefinger of God!”

But I failed.

“Mister! Are you alright? Oh no, you’re sweating so much.”

“

Huff huff!

I-I’m fine.”

I quickly drank a few bottles of Bacchus—no, Blessing of the Growth God, and barely caught my breath.

Weird. Why is this so difficult?

I had planned to use my skill to destroy the chains binding Sung Mi-Ri’s monster just like before. Surely, without them, she’d be able to reach S-rank in no time. However, a problem arose when there were only three chains left.

Tzzz!

Red sparks scattered from the chains. The intensity was also way stronger than before. I tried using my power on it dozens of times, but to no avail.

Was my assumption wrong? Why couldn’t I break those remaining chains?

“Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, could you stand over there for a moment?”

“Okay.” She answered, looking perplexed.

Ding!

Then, my appraisal skill activated and displayed information about her.

-----

[Sung Mi-Ri, Yu Il-Shin’s First Earth Branch Follower]

Around for 19 years.

S-rank Hunter, Lightning Combat-type (Sealed)

Special note: Extremely electrifying. She is an A-rank Hunter, with part of her abilities sealed.

-----

It was the same text as before. Instead, I tried to focus on the word “sealed”.

“Mister?” she fidgeted, blushing slightly.

However, I was too focused on the words to pay attention to her. It was like attempting to see the view outside a room through the eye of a needle.

Then...

Ding!

Finally!

However, it was totally different from what I had expected. Frowning, I muttered, “Fuck, what’s this?”

“Mister?”

“Ms. Sung Mi-Ri, do you know where your sister went?”

It looked like I’d need to arrange a sit-down parent consultation session soon.

***

In the special prison for Hunters was an elderly man praying on his knees. He looked so virtuous, he could be mistaken for a saint.

In truth, he was the head of the black market drug distribution. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. He had murdered countless people as human sacrifices. Although the death sentence had been abolished in South Korea, the severity of his crimes made the jurisdiction debate over his sentence.

Apostle Johan recalled his past.

He first received an oracle from god five years ago, when he was still an average high school student. He was dozing off on the subway, exhausted from a night shift from his part-time job.

-...

Tsk.

Only three are eligible to accept a fragment of myself?

The sudden voice jolted Johan awake. He looked around, but there were only fellow students or working adults like him dozing off on the subway.

-Insignificant insect, be honored that I have chosen you!

The voice came to him again. It sounded so ominous and sinister, as if all the malice in the world had come together like tar.

-Inferior being, what are you doing? Hurry and kneel!

Had he gone mad? He must’ve pushed himself too hard recently. Just as he was debating on cutting back on the number of part-time jobs he was taking...

Pwoosh!

His eardrum burst.

“

Arghhh

!

Arghhhh

!”

A terrible pain swept through his entire body all at once, rendering him breathless. He felt like a squashed bug.

“

Arghhhh

!”

However, no one on the subway reacted, as if his extreme pain was inconceivable to them.

“W-who... are... you...?” Johan mustered those words while writhing in pain.

-

Kekeke

. What a pitiful worm. I’m a great god of destruction and ruin. From today onward, you shall be my tool.

The god declared.

Johan’s nightmare began from that day on. At first, he resisted vehemently. He had to pay the price every time. Those around him—his family, friends, and even his lover—died horrible deaths. Eventually, he gave up resisting.

True to his claim, that being was a “god,” or at least a demon of sorts. A force that no human could hope to defy.

The price of obedience was as sweet as honey. At the cost of his sanity, he acquired power beyond the dreams of any S-rank Hunter, along with a sea of wealth and honor. After all, he couldn’t fulfill everything the god requested of him without going insane.

As Johan descended into madness, he clung to the being fanatically. How else was he supposed to go on?

Above all, the god said this to Johan,

-Do not fret, Apostle. The day I descend would be the day everyone in your world, including you, achieves salvation.

Salvation. The word “salvation.”

He had clung onto that sliver of hope until that day.

Ruuumble!

That day when the true form of god he had served all these years was revealed to him.

-

Grrr

!

Johan saw it when his god was about to descend into his world through the blood-red magic circle.

Creaaak!

Peeking from the crack was the god’s eye, burning like the sun. Partially connected to the god mentally, Johan witnessed the monster’s true color. An absolute evil with endless voracity. Even if it devoured the entire world, it wouldn’t be satisfied. It’d continue on an endless search for otherworldly life.

Such was the essence of his “god.”

At that moment, it dawned on Johan. The meaning behind the promised salvation from back then. To devour everything in this world, including himself. To merge them into his bloodstream. For these paltry worms to become part of such a great being—what an honor that would be!

The brutal truth drove Johan into despair. The curse that had plagued him for the longest of time had been dispelled, only to be replaced with despair. Johan cried, secreting bodily fluid from his nose, genital, and anus. He regretted his wrongdoings.

However, his regret came a tad too late.

Just then, someone came up to him. The man whom he had mistaken to be an apostle like himself.

What a ridiculous thought! How could an insignificant worm like him even compare to that man?!

The great and mighty man, wielding a sword as colossal as a mountain, struck the embodiment of his misdeeds and despair, ultimately preventing it from descending onto Earth.

Thus, the world was saved.

“I do not wish for forgiveness. My only wish is to be at your service in future endeavors. If you're willing, I'll offer you everything—myself, my life, and even my soul.. Please, allow this humbled and depraved human to serve the magnificent and holy God Yu Il-Shin!” Weeping tears of repentance, Johan prayed.

While Johan was praying without rest, a strange message appeared.

[Your faith in Yu Il-Shin has been established.]

Briefly, Johan felt the same aura from that day—Yu Il-Shin’s, along with a strong unity, as if he was with him. Yu Il-Shin had accepted even someone as heinous as him! The miracle made him wept from the bottom of his heart.

“

Waaah

, God Yu Il-Shin! Thank you!”

“Yu Il-Shin?”

Suddenly, a voice that sounded like grating steel scraping together interrupted his prayers.

When he opened his eyes, he saw someone looking at him behind the window bars. The person wore a strange beaked mask like a plague doctor.

“Who are you? How did you come in?”

This prison was known for holding Hunters, and every prisoner was a Hunter. Not to mention, A-rank Hunters guarded the entrance to the basement where Johan was locked in, around the clock.

So how did this mysterious person enter the premises? Johan smiled with a speculation in mind.

“Did the higher-ups decide to remove me even though they covet my ability? Are they

Seems like the higher-ups have decided to remove me? Are they worried about the public's opinion?”

However, the man remained silent.

“It's fine even if you don't answer me. I have no intentions of staying in this place any longer.” Johan stood up.

Whoooosh!

A strong energy rushed from his body. Johan might be an apostle no longer, but he still retained a fraction of the power received from the monster. It should be more than enough for Johan to deal with this mysterious stranger and escape from this place.

“I won't kill you, but I’ll absolutely crush you, so please don't blame me.”

Johan’s body heated up. He couldn’t wait to get out of this prison. He wanted to see Yu Il-Shin and prove his faith.

“So, you’re not Abysm.”

“Abysm?”

“Still, I can’t forgive you for trying to hurt Mi-Ri.”

A hint of bloodthirst seeped from behind the mask.

“What...?”

The mysterious person pointed at Johan’s heart.

“

Stop

.”

***

I never met Sung Mi-Ri’s older sister in the end.

As both an S-rank Hunter and a celebrity among celebrities, her schedule was probably hectic as hell. I tried to go to the fashion show she participated in, but the security was so tight that I couldn’t even get close. It seemed like I’d have to wait until next time to talk with her.

I went home with a heavy heart. Sword Demon was nowhere to be seen. I saw my blanket neatly folded in the corner, with a note left on it.

O’ Almighty Sword God, something suddenly came up. I’ll be away for a few days. It breaks my heart to leave you without telling you in person.

...

I, Sword Demon, will continue to wield my sword to the last of my body while recalling the beautiful Sword Devotion you have shown me before. Please take care of yourself while I’m away, and give my regards to the lovely and adorable Miss Seong-Yeon...

Small text filled the A4-sized paper, laden with praises for me.

Crumple!

I crushed the paper and threw it into the bin.

“

Haa

... Actually, don’t come back.”

The last thing I needed in my small apartment was a freeloader.

Ding!

[Johan, a human from Earth branch, has been converted from a follower of “???” God of Destroyer to “Yu Il-Shinism.”]

[Johan belongs to the Fanatic category.]

-----

[Quest: Low-tier God Promotion (In Progress)]

Normal followers: 5,212,326/1,000,000,000

Followers of intelligent beings at S-rank and above with potential for transcendence: 1/10

-----

“Johan?”

Wasn’t that the name of that naked pervert?

Just as I was trying to figure out what happened, more messages came from God-Maker.

Ding!

[Johan, Yu Il-Shin’s Fanatic, has died.]

[A fanatic’s whole being belongs to the god he serves.]

[Absorbing sacrifice.]

“Absorbing sacrifices after death...what?

Gasp!

”

Boom boom boom!

A tremendous amount of energy exploded from my body.

1. From the Korean movie Almost Love (2006) ☜