Chapter 299

Yusuke, heir to the Greed Church...

Bellona had recognized Yusuke the moment she’d laid eyes on him.

Is Japan already making a move?

She knew war would break out in the east, but she hadn’t expected it so soon. After all, both tactically and politically, it made more sense to wait for the Thunder Emperor to return to America before targeting Jae-Hyeok.

Yet contrary to reason, the Greed Church had still stepped forward.

The Greed Church...

The name alone stirred caution in the American Association’s top brass, so much so that they seemed to fear it even more than the Blood Church. And frankly—Bellona didn’t blame them. Unlike the Blood Church, whose global operations afforded more opportunities for information gathering, the Greed Church was a tight-knit, domestic organization based in Japan. Due to its insular nature, the American Association knew little about the Greed Church's goals and movements. They didn’t even know what or who this supposed Church worshipped.

But one thing was for sure: a militarized theocratic organization with “greed” in its name probably wasn’t worshiping anything good.

They are really unpredictable.

Bellona’s blue eyes darted to the gatekeepers floating in the air.

Since they were charged with guarding Lion’s Castle, their skills had to be quite good; yet they were reduced to human balloons, shouting and flailing uselessly.

What type of Skill is that?

Binding-type Skills were troublesome by nature. No matter how powerful the mantis, it was as good as dead once caught in a spider’s web—such was the power of binding-type Skills.

Once struck, players were utterly helpless.

Bellona gathered mana to her eyes, but her frown only deepened. No matter how she looked or sensed, she couldn’t tell how the gatekeepers were in the air.

An invisible binding Skill...

Sweat beaded on Bellona’s forehead as she turned her attention back to Yusuke and his congregation of clergymen.

They donned robes emblazoned with an anvil on the chest and a hammer on the right sleeve, and every one of them had shining eyes, betraying not the slightest fear—despite blocking the path of the Thunder God and Thunder Emperor.

It was the sort of absolute courage that could only come from zeal.

As Bellona's mind was racing, Yusuke spoke to Jae-Hyeok.

“I received an oracle.”

“......”

“The oracle whispered of a saint on Earth—a saint both worthy and able to undertake the God’s Pilgrimage! That saint... is you!” Yusuke and his clergy dropped to their knees and—under Bellona’s disbelieving gaze—kowtowed repeatedly toward Jae-Hyeok. “Fear not, Saint. For we, the Church of Greed, know where Pilgrimage’s trail lies. We can guide you. You need only let us!”

Jae-Hyeok finally spoke.

“Thanks—but no thanks. I know where to go.”

Yusuke froze mid-worship and peered up with wide, wild eyes.

“You... know?”

One look at his bug-eyes and Bellona gulped. But Jae-Hyeok paid him no heed and shrugged.

“I do. I’m more curious to know how you know about it?”

In fact, he was also rather cautious of this mysterious Greed Church; if he could learn more about their methods and purpose through Yusuke, that would be for the best.

“So you know... this... this is most unexpected...”

Yusuke’s bulging eyes momentarily calmed—before bulging even more violently.

“As expected of the Saint! You are most extraordinary, most extraordinary indeed!”

Yusuke slammed his head into the ground.

“Praise the Saint!”

“Praise the Saint!” echoed the clergy.

“......”

Realizing they were serious—Bellona, the players of Guardian, the youths, and the Jaegyeong employees behind them all stared dumbly.

“

Tsk.

Damn lunatics.”

Only the Thunder Emperor was calm.

This wasn’t his first run-in with the Greed Church: Years ago, one of Japan’s high-grade gates had caught his fancy... Long story short, after infiltrating the country, he and the Greed Church had crossed paths several times, clashing repeatedly.

He’d experienced the clergy’s unshakable zeal firsthand. Like a pack of mad dogs, once they set their eyes on something, they wouldn’t let up or let go—even if it killed them.

Thinking so, the Thunder Emperor snorted and summoned his lightning whip. “Jae-Hyeok, you can’t reason with these people, and they’re even less predictable. I say we kill them and be done with it.”

The Thunder Emperor’s booming threat could be felt through the floor. Yet, Yusuke and his clergy neither paused nor hesitated.

Yusuke rose to his knees and shuffled closer to Jae-Hyeok. “Saint, since you know of

that

place, our good intentions are simply proven: please, accept this.”

Yusuke presented a silver card with both hands. Its surface bore a familiar design.

That’s...

A Reinhardt ticket?

Jae-Hyeok doubted his eyes. He turned to the Thunder Emperor—only to see that he was no less stunned.

“How do you know of Rein... the ticket?” the Thunder Emperor questioned. Even among the candidates for World’s Strongest, few knew of Reinhardt. Chancing upon unique, transient gates, stumbling upon secret quest strings—there were a few ways one might encounter information on Reinhardt, but each required a series of coincidences and good fortune to align.

Finally, the gazes of the Greed Church members fell on the Thunder Emperor.

“You also know

that

place?”

A spark of appreciation lit in the eyes of the clergy, and the Thunder Emperor’s eyes narrowed in understanding.

So that’s it. Their idol of worship must be tied to Reinhardt—or perhaps it’s Reinhardt itself.

Thinking to here, the fine hairs stood on the back of the Thunder Emperor’s neck. As someone who strove to reach Reinhardt’s standard of power, he knew well the gulf that existed between aspiration and reality. Did these people stand a chance?

Yusuke said, “The two of you must know the value of this ticket.”

The Thunder Emperor swallowed. Indeed, he knew of several kinds of Reinhardt tickets, and none were more valuable than a silver ticket. Others were one-time-use—but not silver tickets. Some silver tickets had as many as three uses.

Three!

It was unfortunate that each use only granted fifteen days of time in Reinhardt, but that was already more time than most people would ever have in Reinhardt.

It had taken the Thunder Emperor thirty years to obtain a silver ticket. The conditions and requirements were strict, and he’d only succeeded after encountering multiple lucky opportunities and clearing dozens of derivative quests.

He knew the value of a silver ticket better than anyone.

It was fundamentally priceless, sold only at a loss.

Jae-Hyeok wondered, “Are you giving this to me?”

“Yes.”

“And the price?”

“Nothing.” Yusuke respectfully shuffled closer with the ticket. “The Greed Church’s mission is to aid the Saint on his Pilgrimage. Everything is as it should be. How dare we ask for a reward? The Greed Church has awaited you for two hundred years. For you to appear in my generation is already the greatest gift.”

As if to punctuate Yusuke’s words, a wave of kowtows passed through the clergy.

Among the prostrate men and women were many tear-streaked faces. They were mostly tears of bliss—but some were of guilt, blaming themselves for having ever doubted the Saint’s existence.

After two hundred years of hardship, the oracle had come. The Saint was here!

Jae-Hyeok cleared his throat.

“Since you insist, I’ll gratefully accept it.”

[You have acquired a Reinhardt Ticket.]

Yusuke had approached him directly without consideration of the Thunder Emperor’s presence. The gatekeepers were also unharmed. By all appearances, Jae-Hyeok had no reason to doubt Yusuke’s intentions.

“Uh? Uhhh?”

Sure enough, the flailing gatekeepers gently sank to the ground

Threads?

Surprise flashed in Jae-Hyeok’s eyes.

Translucent threads unwound from the gatekeepers. They were thinner than any hair, nearly invisible even to Jae-Hyeok’s eyes.

Yusuke gathered the threads inside his sleeve and slowly rose. Noticing Jae-Hyeok’s gaze, Yusuke chuckled. “It seems these silver threads can’t escape the Saint’s keen eyes. My faith swells by the moment.”

The members of the Greed Church rose and formed two long lines, clearing a path for Jae-Hyeok.

“The Pilgrimage awaits. We will stand guard until the day of your glorious return.”

The Thunder Emperor’s brow sank skeptically. “You’re staying in Korea?” The Greed Church was close to Japan’s state religion. For them to guard a foreign National Treasure in a foreign land was unheard of.

“Yes, to ensure the Saint’s peace of mind. We shall guard Korea in his stead.”

“You?

Tsk.

Ridiculous...”

Yusuke beamed. “Before dividing by nationality, aren’t we all humans?”

“You really know how to talk. No wonder why you are treated like a cult...” The Thunder Emperor frowned. “I’m still not convinced. What is it you gain by having Jae-Hyeok complete this Pilgrimage?”

“We don’t know,” Yusuke answered.

“What?”

“The one who decides the outcome is...” Yusuke's blue eyes gleamed. “The saint.”

“......”

For several long seconds, the Thunder Emperor bore into Yusuke with a piercing gaze. Eventually, he shook his head.

The Greed Church... What madmen. They’re entrusting everything to Jae-Hyeok.

The Pilgrimage was most certainly a hidden quest in Reinhardt. With how hard Reinhardt’s normal quests were, he could scarcely imagine the difficulty of a hidden quest. Still, if anyone could do it, it was Jae-Hyeok.

If he succeeds...

The Thunder Emperor instinctively shook his head.

Who knew how strong Jae-Hyeok would be by then? At that point, perhaps it wouldn’t just be the Greed Church but the entire world bowing to him...

As the Thunder Emperor reflected on the future, Jae-Hyeok stared off into the sky, his thoughts elsewhere.

Rainbow potatoes...

His stomach rumbled.