Chapter 1275. Encountering the Brigade (3)

The change was so intense that I almost thought the best option would be to summon Rafael right away and have him beat them all to death on the spot.

I wasn’t sure if they’d like the menu I offered, but it seemed like it really suited their tastes. Of course, I expected some changes, but their transformation was way beyond what I had imagined.

‘This is how things are going to turn out? I didn’t even do anything.’

This was a completely different case from the Templars of Altanus, like Bahamut, Simon, or the one from my memories, Templar Genny.

I knew that Altanus’ blood had powered them up, but it was the result of a long, drawn-out process. They had to have refined and distilled Altanus’ blood before consuming it in the proper, most efficient way through their own rituals.

That was a long time ago when alchemy had yet to develop, so they weren't

that

advanced at the time. Moreover, they were a clandestine group working in the shadows.

It was common sense that a refined and improved version would be more effective and would have fewer side effects than drinking the raw essence straight up.

Despite the low quantity and low purity, the changes they displayed were so impressive that they left me genuinely bewildered.

‘Damn it, what do I do?’

“

Aaaah! Ahhh!!

”

Some of them looked to be in pain, clearly struggling to digest it.

‘Damn it. Should I just cut their heads off right? Should I just kill them?’

The only comforting part was that their bodies hadn’t morphed into monsters, but even then, I wasn’t sure if this was something to feel relieved about.

In fact, a radiant glow was shining behind them.

‘Shit.’

They hadn't sprouted any wings, but their holy energy was just like mine.

“

Ha... haha... hahaha...

”

Amidst their cellular transformation, Jung Jin-Ho clearly sensed the changes they were going through, as he was snickering to himself. Divine stigmas appeared all over them, and some of them were writhing, clutching different parts of their bodies.

Watching this scene unfold, I couldn’t help but feel that I was too negligent and careless in my duty as the god overseeing this continent. It looked like the wounds I had suffered after arriving here were now being etched into Jung Jin-Ho’s body.

Jung Jin-Ho gnashed his teeth and clutched his abdomen. It was the exact same spot where Kim Hyun-Sung stabbed me to death.

I was sure Jung Jin-Ho was experiencing the same pain I experienced at the time. He was inheriting not only the memories buried in my blood but the suffering that came with it.

In my eyes, they were distant memories, but the system that governed all dimensions had turned every moment of my past into something like an unskippable story. I thought it would be a simple power-up, but I made a grave miscalculation.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it.’

“

AH!!

” Jung Jin-Ho screamed, and half his figure was engulfed in light. He brought his hand to the glowing area, clearly in pain, but the rays of light coiled around his body like a snake, relentlessly devouring him.

‘I-Is he dying? Is he going to die?’

He looked almost like Doom Hyun-Sung, whose face was covered by darkness. The only difference was that Jung Jin-Ho's face was still there. Half of his body was bathed in radiant light.

His form was made entirely of light, yet his left arm was unmistakably that of a beast. With long claws and clothes completely torn apart, the seam where the two had merged was visible, and it seemed as if snakes of light were biting and clinging to him.

“

Haa... haa... haa...

”

“...”

“...”

He still looked like he hadn’t come to his senses, but the transformation was basically complete.

The most reasonable choice to make at this point was clear.

‘Time to run.’

“Let’s move, Mr. Ki-Mo,” I ordered.

“P-Pardon? Sir?” Ahn Ki-Mo questioned.

“Let’s get as far away from here as quickly as possible,” I said.

“S-Sir... can you tell me your plan? A-Are they okay? Wh-What did you do? That’s...” Ahn Ki-Mo asked.

“I said, let’s run! You bastard!” I shouted.

“

Ah!

Okay!” Ahn Ki-Mo shouted.

‘At this rate, who knows? I might end up locked up all day, getting my blood sucked around the clock.’

Until just a moment ago, our party was stronger than theirs, but now, that was no longer the case. They realized that my blood had some kind of effect, and I was sure those greedy, crazy murderers would do terrible things to this fragile body of mine.

If I were to offer a few drinks to Rafael, we could probably beat them, but who could say for sure about what would happen to Rafael upon drinking my blood?

“Run! Hurry!”I shouted.

“I’ll carry you,” Yoo Ah-Young offered.

“Mr. Rafael! Mr. Rafael!” I called out.

“H-Hyung? What’s wrong? Your arm,” Rafael asked.

“Run, Mr. Rafael!” I shouted.

“What? No way, did those assholes...

Argh.

”

“The negotiation has failed! A battle will break out soon, so get as far away from here as possible,” I told him.

From far away, I heard a peal of maniacal laughter.

“

Ha... hahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha!

It exists... It actually exists!

Hahahahaha!

” Jung Jin-Ho laughed.

‘What exists, you asshole? I don’t know what that is and I have nothing on me, damn it!’

“

Hahahaha! Hahahahaha!

Finally! Finally! I have been rewarded!” Jung Jin-Ho shouted.

‘What reward, damn it?’

“Miss Lian!” I called out.

“Yes, sir,” Park Lian answered.

“Head to the camp right now and tell them we found those assholes!” I ordered.

“Yes, sir,” she said.

‘Can they defeat him? Can Hyun-Sung and Hee-Ra noona... defeat him?’

How about I offer it to Hee-Ra noona as well?

‘No, that’s useless.’

It wasn't too bad. If the effect was that powerful, the side effects were bound to be just as severe. Defeating him wasn't necessarily the only answer here. If the adventurers here could hold out just a little longer, I was sure that he would eventually self-destruct.

The real question was whether they could hold out or not.

Could Cha Hee-Ra and Kim Hyun-Sung—in their current state—stand a chance against those briefly wielding a mere fragment of my holy power?

I thought it'd be better for everyone to just run away from here, but contrary to my hopes, I heard loud noises coming from all directions.

“I found them! It’s the brigade! It’s the brigade bastards!”

“Jung Jin-Ho, you asshole!”

“Report this now! It’s the assholes from the brigade!”

“Finally, I get to see those bastards die.

Tch!

”

They were shouting, and I heard explosions everywhere along with visual effects. All hell had broken loose, and only a fool wouldn't notice that.

When they became templars, the spell they cast on themselves had to have shattered, so the pursuers instantly found them. The rangers who spotted them first immediately fired signal flares.

Magic-powered fireworks, recognizable to adventurers, peppered the skies, and for a moment, the forest became noisy.

Those maintaining a tight perimeter moved faster. Since these guys had already surpassed human limits, they stormed the area in a flash. I even saw some moving past us...

“It’s the brigade! Help!” I shouted, but the vanguard heading out now wouldn't be helpful.

‘This is going to be a shitty death.’

They looked no different from moths rushing into a bonfire. If they had yet to transform, the vanguard would have managed to surround them. Unfortunately, a bunch of rats could never really trap a tiger.

As expected...

“

Aah!

”

“

Aaaargh!

”

“Wh-What’s wrong... with these assholes...”

“What the hell is going on?!”

“Reinforcements! Reinforcements! Call for help! What the hell are you doing?!”

“

Aaaah!

Run!”

“Run now! Damn it!”

Before long, screams echoed from all over the place.

‘They’re not coming this way, right? Right?’

“There's something wrong with them! Be careful!”

“What is it this time? Damn it... What are these... monsters...”

“

Ha... hahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha!

”

‘Surely, they’re not coming this way, right?’

“H-Help me... Help! Please! Please!”

‘The extras... can die, right? None of them is going to affect the future in a big way, right?’

Anxiety bloomed within me as I brought up my Telescope and focused on Jung Jin-Ho. Through the Telescope, I saw the demon-like face of the monster, and he brutally split his innocent victims with the sword in his hand.

Half of his body was still wrapped in radiant light. The fight went on, but it was more like a brutal massacre than a true battle. He never delivered a clean kill. The psychopathic murderer seemed bent on making his victims suffer as much as possible.

A nauseating smile of pleasure tugged at his lips as he observed the pained faces of his victims. Typically expressionless, he was now wearing a look of pure ecstasy, obviously drunk on his own power.

He cast a spell and stretched out his hand.

Boom!

A giant creature of light erupted from the earth, devouring the helpless adventurers as if they were mere prey.

“

Ahh... ahhhhhhhh!

”

“

Aaaah!

”

At the same time, he slashed his opponent with his sword, tearing open their insides. Blood splattered on him, but he couldn't care less about the mess. If anything, he looked like he was enjoying it.

It was like he was savoring this moment as if this were going to be his last chance. I’d seen all kinds of brutal things across the continent, but these insane murderers were creating a scene straight out of hell.

“

AAAAH!

”

‘Shit. Those crazy psychopathic bastards...’

“Hyung...” Rafael said.

Naturally, I could feel the eyes of Rafael and the people of the Friendship Guild. The young warrior’s eyes were telling me that we had to help these people right now, but...

“No,” I said.

This wasn't our continent. The story of his parallel world had to be resolved here, and they had to resolve this issue with their own strength.

Strictly speaking, any outsider changing their story was something that could never be allowed from the perspective of a transcendent being. They had to have realized that, too.

'We’re outsiders, and all we can do is save the party that got sucked in first, but...'

‘I simply can’t bear it...’

As the Saint of Sacrifice and Revival, I couldn’t just stand by and watch as innocent people were dying left and right before me. I couldn’t stand by and let that mad killer run rampant.

‘Those bastards aren’t even human...’

How could anyone bear to see them bathing in the blood of the innocent? How could anyone watch them slaughter the righteous for their own twisted pleasure? The Saint of Sacrifice and Revival wasn’t that kind of person, nor could I ever become one.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

“

Aaaaah!

Help me. Help...”

When the discordant mixture of agonized screams pierced my ears, it was inevitable for me to...

“I can’t stand this...” I mumbled.

It was inevitable for me to clench my fist tightly. I tried to hold it in somehow, but...

“I can never... forgive them...” I said.

The Saint of Sacrifice and Revival could not forgive them.

“I can’t forgive them,” I said.