Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Archangel of Selection
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End of the underground waterway.
There was a shelter made by the Templars.
A small cavern painted white.
It was the underground sanctuary of the Dolion Church.
“All my comrades are dead.”
Glowing souls swirled around the well in the center of the room.
They were the souls of the thousand followers who had perished in the fortress.
They had sworn to gather at the sanctuary’s well if they died in the fortress.
Even in death, it was to summon an angel.
The last Templars remaining in the fortress.
Sacrifice Priest Tarami vowed.
“I won’t let my brothers’ sacrifices be in vain.”
Tarami lit a candle with a match from his robe.
He sprinkled holy water blessed by the Pope, placed the church’s prized relic above the well, and opened the holy book.
It was time to call the angel Nephilim based on his brothers’ noble sacrifices.
“You who shine brightest among all stars. Small lanterns born from Your crown have gathered here. Look down upon the lanterns reflected in this well.”
With the sound of bells, the holy water sprinkled on the floor glowed brightly.
“The lanterns settled in darkness shall return to the embrace of great glory, and to those still in the dark, Your glory and power...”
As Tarami performed the ritual, a strange sound reached his ears.
Dr-r-ruck.
The sound of a stone door opening.
Thud, thud. Someone was boldly entering the hidden underground sanctuary.
“...Who are you?”
Had the wicked minions already breached this far, just as the ritual was beginning?
Cold sweat trickled down the back of Tarami’s neck.
“Fear not.”
At the gentle voice, Tarami turned his head to see a black-haired foreigner standing behind him.
The foreigner, clad in Dolion robes, held the sword of the Second Punisher Bishop in his left hand and the bell of the Fourth Chastiser Bishop in his right.
They were the insignias of the Templar bishops who had entered the fortress.
“I am the seventh apostle sent by Dolion to this land. I am the nameless light. A single bolt of lightning fallen into the well.”
Tarami quietly unbound the clippers strapped to his back.
It was a torture device used to tear off heretics’ noses, teeth, and facial features one by one.
“False prophet. How dare you borrow the authority of an apostle.”
Clank.
As he gripped the handle, rotten blood dripped from the clippers.
“I’ve seen dozens like you. Not one among them was true. Those who called themselves prophets and made idols of themselves—they were all heretics beyond doubt.”
Sacrifice Priest Tarami.
He was the strongest and most exalted holy knight in the Templars.
If he could be fooled by holy relics and a few plausible words, hundreds of heretics wouldn’t have been buried by his hand.
But the foreigner continued mildly.
“Lantern that follows the glory. Do not waver at starlight mimicking the sun. They are starlight. My lord is the pure sun. I bring light to this place for you.”
Behind the foreigner, shy white feathers fluttered.
Soon, large white wings extended.
White wings and feathers draped over the entire wall.
“This is...”
[Angel's wings deployed.]
[Malkuth Angel Corps Ishim, authority manifested.]
[Sword of Fire, Soul of Fire summoned.]
Warm flames and swords of fire floated everywhere.
It was no trick of a mage or charlatan. Pure, clear divine power was unmistakably present.
“I am the nameless light. The lightning that illuminates the dark.”
The apostle of god moved his hands without pause.
[Archangel of Yesod, Gabriel’s authority ‘Holy Water’ manifested.]
[Archangel of Hod, Raphael’s authority ‘Legion’ manifested.]
Water from the well rose to form a crown, and a thousand souls responded to the ‘Legion,’ shaping wings behind the crown.
The apostle looked at Tarami with half-lidded eyes.
“I have not put you to the test. Will you put me to the test?”
Tarami easily lifted the clippers.
Puk.
And without hesitation, he stabbed his own eye with them.
“The fool has sinned through lack of faith. I cast aside these eyes that waver in delusion.”
Tarami prostrated deeply and cried out.
“I am wholly Yours, my lord. Use Your servant as You will!”
“Yes. Those two hands that dared to harm me are an eyesore.”
“If that is Your will!”
At the so-called apostle of god’s additional demand, Tarami severed his own hands without a shred of doubt.
“Truly unshakable faith. I am impressed.”
“It is the proper posture of the faithful! Apostle, may I ask why You have come here?”
“Haha, Dolion is most pleased with your temple, so He sent ten apostles to aid you in your peril.”
“Oh! Comrades everywhere will be unable to hide their joy.”
“Indeed. In place of the Nephilim here, I am to receive your gathered devotion, punish the wicked minions, and take your souls.”
He began absorbing the souls under Gonghyeok’s control.
[Collecting spiritual essence gathered in the well.]
[Expanding Sephirot in the body - Purified souls form the 4th vessel of the Sephirot.]
[Stage 4. Entering the Netzach stage. The archangel governing Netzach is Haniel, and the authority she grants is ‘Love’...]
All the lights in the well were absorbed into Gonghyeok’s wings.
“Aah! My brothers will be thrilled to become one with You!”
“Yes. Well done. I bestow upon you a small grace, though it may be lacking.”
A faint scent began to fill the room.
“When did you last eat?”
“I’ve been fasting for two days.”
“I see. Blood type B, height 187 cm, weight 91 kg...”
“Why do You need such things?”
“Dolion’s grace must be administered in the proper amount for each person.”
The apostle of god sprinkled powder on Tarami’s wounds, inserted an injection into his vein, and fed him god’s grace by mouth.
Tarami silently drank god’s grace, then cautiously asked.
“What is this grace You have bestowed upon me?”
“You know what?”
The apostle spoke in an irritated tone.
“Religious speech is needlessly long and filthy difficult.”
“Pardon? What do You...”
Before his question could be resolved, Tarami felt agony as if his organs were twisting.
[Tarami has been poisoned by ‘Necropolis Essence.’]
[Abnormal status stacked 2! Poisoned by ‘Elder Dragon’s Alchemy Solution.’]
[Abnormal status stacked 3! ‘Necromancer Lord’s Fang Mark’ on Tarami’s body...]
[Abnormal status stacked 4! Poisoned by ‘Mad Poison Alchemist’s Mercury’...]
[Abnormal status stacked 5!...]
[Abnormal status stacked 6!...]
[Abnormal status stacked 7! Tarami’s body is filled with fatal instant-death poison...]
“Express ticket to heaven. Get lost to Dolion’s side.”
He hadn’t had much use for it lately.
But the apostle of god was quite proficient in poisons thanks to the ‘Living Hunting Manual (SS)’ trait.
“Urk, you bastard! To think you’re a heretic...”
“Whether it’s phase 2 or 3, let’s end this quick.”
Pow!
Ju Gonghyeok kicked Tarami’s solar plexus as he staggered.
“You talk way too damn much.”
Thud!
Another kick sent Tarami’s back crashing into the well’s edge.
Pow!
“You’re not in a position to ramble on.”
Tarami’s body tumbled into the well.
Soon, a splash echoed.
Gonghyeok pulled a well-dried cigar from his robe.
“Quest. Complete.”
[You have achieved the demon world quest ‘Templar Annihilation.’]
[Achievement rate 79%. Rewards: 4 blue coins and A-rank skill coin ‘Flower of Confusion.’]
Skipping the messages, he picked up the relic used in the ritual.
[Relic of Descent (?)]
[Supreme relic procured to summon the angel Nephilim.
In truth, it’s not the relic used at the time but a substitute from another in Babel.
- +15 Magic Power when carried in inventory.
- Additional effects in various rituals.]
A new message appeared before Gonghyeok’s eyes.
[Angel world achievement. ‘10th Floor Nephilim Ritual Absorption’ complete.]
[Amazing achievement rate 221%! Rewards: ■□#$&*.......]
Noise mixed into the message.
Flutter.
Another pair of wing shadows appeared in the sanctuary.
“How profound.”
The archangel of selection and judgment, Remiel.
She had appeared here.
“You’ve come. You’re here.”
He greeted her while setting down the cigar in his mouth.
“Perfect timing. There’s an error with the rewards—fix it for me?”
“First, look up.”
An image and voice played on the ceiling.
= Aaaargh! Run!
= My arms, my head—they’re melting!
= Wait, everyone! Don’t leave me behind!
The progenitor weapon sprayed black blood as Guardsand fought back.
‘X’ was seeking help from the Vampire Princess on one side.
The progenitor weapon hadn’t been caught yet.
Since power was focused on X, he had used poison and tricks to kill Tarami.
[You have failed the angel world quest ‘10th Floor Merciful Protection.’]
[Deaths: 29/81. You show no will to protect people.]
“How pitiful.”
Remiel’s expression grew even colder at Gonghyeok’s nonchalant demeanor.
“You—every word from your mouth is nothing but lies.”
“Oh, is that so.”
“Moreover, you came here, prioritized demon-side quests over ours, and resolved more of them.”
“It just happened that way.”
“Just happened?”
Remiel scoffed.
“Annihilating the Templars through treachery, ordering attacks on your own company, claiming to protect people then stepping back pretending ignorance. All of that just happened?”
“The world’s tough these days—had to scrape by to eat.”
Blatantly insincere response.
Azazel would’ve screamed at the fortress by now.
But Remiel didn’t twitch an eyebrow.
She was a mentally mature angel unshaken by trivialities.
“I know you’re exceptional. Azazel and Sandalphon have high hopes for you. But I have my doubts.”
She closed her eyes.
“Are you on the angels’ side? The demons’? Or humanity’s? I can’t tell at all. Frankly, your qualifications as our proxy, the Spirit Summoner, are in question.”
“This is awkward—I’m lacking in many ways. Oh, hold on, got a call.”
“.......”
“Yeah, main body Gonghyeok. This is clone A. What’s up?”
Ignoring Remiel mid-conversation, Gonghyeok naturally held his empty hand to his ear.
“Yeah, yeah. You’ve wrecked the progenitor weapon now? Remiel? She’s right here. Oh, feed it from now on? Candy? Got it.”
At the ongoing one-man show, Remiel felt her blood vessels might burst.
Her fingers nervously tapped her crossed arms.
“Hunter Ju Gonghyeok.”
“Yes.”
“You’re radical, cruel, wicked—and in human terms, the worst kind of person.”
“Yes.”
“Are you listening? I’m deliberating.”
Her closed eyes opened.
“Whether to kill you. Or not.”
Gonghyeok deeply inhaled the cigar in his hand.
His durability 411 lungs burned it to the end.
Puff—
Vast cigarette smoke billowed into Remiel’s face.
“Ah~ Go ahead?”