Chapter 267
Chapter 267
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 267
Chapter Title: Chapter 6-3. Lust
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"Him?"
Having overheard Judah's mutter, she tilted her head as if pondering for a moment, then nodded readily in agreement.
"Yes. The one I serve, the being beloved by the divine, blessed with immeasurable grace, gazing down upon all creation with eyes beyond counting."
I've never shown that kind of love.
Though she didn't name the one she referred to as "Him," Judah knew exactly who it was.
"The First Holy King, Metatron."
Her voice rang out with unwavering confidence, like a declaration.
Holy King Metatron.
Yeah, that figured. From the moment he'd suspected Organ's presence here, from the inscription on the iron gate claiming she was under the Holy King's protection—he'd half-expected as much regarding the Holy King's involvement.
First Gabriel, and now Metatron.
Killing Cain hadn't led to much friction with Gabriel, which he'd counted as a blessing. But now an apostle of the even greater Metatron had appeared. It seemed he just couldn't catch a break with the Holy Kings. Organ wasn't finished speaking.
"And I am His apostle, His spear, the apostle Organ who spreads His will. No need to burden you with my family name, so I'll skip it. That fine with you, Judah Arsher?"
"...So. Why does that apostle of yours harbor hostility toward me?"
At Judah's question, the helmeted Organ tilted her head once more. Her armor's shoulder plates clinked against the helmet.
"You really don't know? Or are you pretending not to? The Lord's Descent, the gathering of fragments—doesn't that alone strike you as more than enough reason?"
"Hmm. What are you..."
"Unfortunately, the Holy King Himself told me, so any lies to buy you a moment's reprieve won't work. He said you're a dangerous existence."
Judah's eyes sharpened as he activated every ounce of mana slumbering within him. A surge of hostility poured from her equal to what emanated from him.
"So you're here to kill me now?"
"Of course. It's what the Holy King desires."
"Ha! You say it so casually."
Judah let out a hollow laugh, and she shrugged with her heavy spear in hand.
"No point hiding it. Knowing won't change a thing..."
He didn't know how much she knew, but if the Holy King had spoken directly about the Lord's Descent and the fragments, peaceful resolution seemed impossible. Judah exhaled deeply, drawing Yakar and summoning Artemisia.
"If you know everything, then you know I'm no pushover, right?"
Not one, but five fragments rested in Judah's hands.
Carpediem of Subjugation.
Valentine of Glory.
Yakar of Wrath.
Artemisia, One yet Ten.
Guardian Lucien Ardahan.
Against them, hers was the seventeenth fragment, the Starfish, and only that. Yet she appeared utterly at ease.
"Who knows. It won't be easy, but not impossible. It's not just about the number of fragments—it's individual prowess, understanding of the fragments, tactics, mental fortitude, the environment. Factoring it all in, I like my odds."
She glanced around, turning her head from left to right as if to emphasize the point. This massive pupil was primed to maximize the power of her Starfish fragment.
The Tomb of Armaments.
Spears and swords, axes and arrows, shields—all manner of forged weapons pierced the ground. Judah could vaguely sense they each held a measure of holy power.
If it weren't him but... say, Cain had lived and come here, she would've poured everything into using that holy power in the weapons to defeat Asmodeus on the final floor. But if Cain had lived, she wouldn't be here. It was all tangled in complications, he thought, as he assumed a stance ready to swing his sword.
"Shall we find out who wins, then?"
"Sounds good. But everything has its order."
"...Order?"
Was order necessary in a fight? He had no intention of chatting idly any longer. If she wouldn't come to him, he'd go to her. Just as Judah kicked off the ground to charge, he saw a holy light suddenly emanate from her body.
'What the hell?'
Whatever it was, he had no plans to wait. He stepped forward and hurled Artemisia from his left hand with all his might.
Paang-!
In that brief instant, a red trajectory sliced through the air, the dagger heading straight for her brow. Artemisia's striking power could pierce that helmet like nothing. But she had no intention of taking the hit. Naturally. She swung her conical lance like a club with casual ease.
Kaang!
The two fragments clashed, sparks flying. Artemisia bounced away, and Judah closed in during the gap.
"Hmph."
Organ snorted at the approaching Judah and stomped lightly. With a thud, her foot sank into the solid floor, erecting a translucent barrier of light. The moment he spotted the wall rising five paces ahead, he resummoned and threw Artemisia again. The dagger, laden with immense force, buried deep into the barrier. But it proved tougher than expected—no penetration.
Creeeak!
Cracks spiderwebbed from the impact point, shattering the barrier. A single block, but it had successfully halted his attack and stalled his advance for that brief moment—its role fulfilled. In those 1-2 seconds, the radiance pouring from her body had grown blinding. And in resonance with that light, the surrounding weapons began to react. Judah halted in bewilderment.
'What is this?'
The Starfish had no such skill. Nothing like this matched Organ's traits and skills in Judah's memory. Holy power that seemed stored in the weapons shot toward Organ's head, while the light from her body lanced toward the ceiling.
Kwaaaaa!
It was a murderous light. Shielding his eyes with his sleeve against the eye-searing glare, Judah let out a small groan. He quickly checked and Shadow Deployment, but Organ hadn't budged from her spot. The light gradually faded. No attacks came during that time. Once his eyes adjusted somewhat, he lowered his left arm—but Organ remained right there.
The pillar of light still beamed toward the ceiling like a laser. Looking up, he saw the light from her body had shattered the room's barrier and pierced straight through the ceiling. When the light from Organ's body finally died out completely, darkness fell upon the pupil.
'What did she do?'
The light pillar had broken through the ceiling and vanished, but nothing special seemed to result. As he eyed her suspiciously, Organ suddenly thrust her lance into the ground and spread her arms wide.
"Rejoice."
She uttered something incomprehensible.
"And worship."
"......"
"Give thanks that you may behold His presence with your own eyes. The Holy King."
Judah froze mid-motion, mana coiling around Yakar for a slash, upon hearing her final words.
'The Holy King? She means Metatron?'
A note of ecstasy tinged Organ's hitherto flat voice.
"He descends upon this place!"
With her words, light poured down through the gaping hole in the ceiling, illuminating the dark pupil. It carried the same presence as when Gabriel had descended in the abandoned temple of the elven forest. But while Gabriel's light had been warm and comforting, this light was its opposite—fierce as a blaze, lethal rather than gentle.
The same light, perhaps, but that's how it felt to Judah at least.
It wasn't blinding enough to blind him outright, so he merely squinted at it. From within emerged a shadowy figure asserting its presence. Simultaneously, an overwhelming flood of holy power filled the pupil. Its density pressed down on him like a physical weight.
An obsessive urge welled up to drop to his knees and bow his head in reverence, but Judah furrowed his brow and endured.
"This lowly servant greets the Holy King."
Unlike Judah, Organ naturally bowed her head in obeisance. Judah swallowed hard. The light gathered toward the figure within, forming wings that shimmered like the aurora over polar ice.
The First Holy King, Metatron, had personally revealed himself before Judah.
-You are Judah Arsher, correct?
Gabriel was one thing, but he'd never predicted—never even imagined—facing the First Holy King like this. Staring up at him in blank disbelief, one corner of Judah's mouth twitched in a convulsive smirk.
-No answer. And I don't like that look in your eyes. Kneel.
"Kuh!?"
An coercive force bore down on his body, and Judah gritted his teeth. The surrounding holy power felt like a hand clamping his shoulders. He staggered but refused to kneel as willed. Lowering his head, though—that he couldn't resist. With his current power, this was the limit.
========== Author's Notes ==========
1) So, I'm reorganizing Grosin again. As I mentioned before, I've actually never done a full read-through of my own Grosin. I'd just think, "Wasn't there a scene like that?" and skim to it. Anyway, while revising the manuscript for the publisher lately, I've thought this multiple times.
How on earth did I write like that back then? It's just cringe-inducing now, and turns out readers weren't just flattering me when they said my writing improved. I thought they were just being nice. It really did get better... (Not that it's outstanding now, either.)
Just sighs all around.
2) Stay safe from colds. No cough, but headaches and lethargy are hitting hard.
3)
Q. I'm enlisting tomorrow! Please upload by 12 PM ㅠㅠ Let me read before heading to Nonsan Training Center, it's my wish!
A. Bawang Cheonma-nim, have a great time in the military! Not sure if you'll catch it before you go! By the time you finish training, there should be about 30 chapters stacked up!
Q. Started reading after binging Grosin... Author-nim—saying my novel has no smut doesn't make sense, no erotic scenes is like red bean-less bunsㅑ gotta eat all the goddesses—Author-nim lost your roots
A. ....ㅎ.....(awkward)