Chapter 144
Chapter 144
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Pyongyang's Hidden Faithful
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Whoosh!
The burning black flames began incinerating the demonic beast.
Clang!
In that instant, a two-horned demon charged straight at Yubak.
Its form, wielding its arms like blades, was utterly grotesque.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Its combat style and raw power were just as freakish.
This was the grueling part of facing demons.
“Urk!”
Combat methods utterly unlike humans, intelligence beyond any monster.
“Kee-hee! Lucky bastard. You dodged the monster, only for trash like you to come charging in!”
The demon’s incomprehensible voice pierced his ears, translated in real time.
Clang!
Against two horns, Yubak could have handled it easily.
“……!”
But then he spotted two more horns sprouting from the demon’s back.
Boom!
Yubak flew back, flung aside, finally recognizing it.
A four-horned demon, a level 600 monster.
At this point on Earth, scarcely any players could stand against something like that.
But.
“What’s with those flames? How the hell is a puny human…?”
Levels might fall short, but the one group with the means to combat demons was the Church.
“You can wield sin, huh?”
Roooar!
The moment Yubak’s flames surged brighter.
“……!”
The demon’s three pupils dilated sharply.
In that instant, a sensation of his entire body being constricted.
Even as the demon sensed danger and twisted away in panic.
Slash!
Yubak had already sliced through it, passing by.
“……!”
The demon seemed unable to grasp what had just happened to it.
“What… was that…?”
The binding that squeezed his whole body—it was the sensation of facing a superior in sin.
‘The hierarchy of sin.’
Spluuurt!
The demon’s body split open and exploded.
The sin dwelling within Yubak was special, unlike that of other battle priests.
“It’s His grace.”
As Gluttony had said, a special elixir called grace.
‘Status window.’
Turning back toward the demon, Yubak cautiously summoned his status window.
[Yubak]
[Level 399]
[Class: Brawler]
After that, rows of ordinary stats, no different from other players.
But at the very bottom.
[You have partially inherited ---’s sin.]
[Current Karma Points…]
Something in stark black text, unlike any other player’s.
[2012]
Gluttony had explained.
-A one-horned demon is worth 100 karma points by our judgment. Two-horned is 300, three-horned is 1000.
And.
-Four-horned is 2000.
That much sin manifesting in the form of horns.
Through the elixir Gluttony provided, he could partially inherit and borrow that sin.
[You have defeated the four-horned demon Burtang.]
Any demon below the level of sin he wielded suffered a fatal penalty.
[You have acquired a small amount of karma points.]
[A large amount of karma points has been offered up to the original owner of the sin.]
Ignoring the system messages, Yubak stared at the wriggling chunks of flesh before him.
True to a demon’s regenerative prowess, Burtang had survived even with its body shattered.
Squirm.
It struggled to reattach itself.
Without the sin, it might have fully regenerated by now.
Whoosh!
Yubak’s sword blazed once more.
Fwoooosh!
He swung it, burning away every last twitching piece of flesh.
No more demonic beasts or demons remained nearby.
The Sanctuary Alliance members had mopped up any that slipped through.
-And remember this.
Gluttony’s voice seemed to echo in his mind.
-Sin is no power for an ordinary human to handle.
At that moment.
Thump!
His heart pounded.
-The price won’t be light.
Fwaaah!
The transforming world, his body shrinking inward.
“Kuaaaaaagh!”
Yubak screamed in excruciating agony.
“Guildmaster! Guildmaster! Are you alright?”
When Yubak came to his senses, a good deal of time seemed to have passed.
[The erosion of sin progresses slightly.]
Recalling the unforgettable pain.
“Huff, huff. Let’s hurry.”
He forced himself to his feet.
*
*
*
Yubak entered the village that Burtang and the demonic beasts had been targeting.
‘Can I use sin… one more time?’
This was his first time testing it in real combat.
The terror and backlash he felt wielding sin denied everything he prided himself on in his brutal life.
A power that writhed like it was alive, trying to devour him.
“…….”
Just imagining using it again sent chills down his spine.
At the same time.
‘How does He…?’
The Apostles who handled that sin so casually earned his awe once more.
That was when Yubak had asked Gluttony.
-If it’s not too rude, could you tell me how much sin the Apostles can wield?
The answer came casually, like it was nothing.
-10,000.
A number beyond comprehension.
-There’s variance among Apostles, but before unlocking, it’s around that.
-Unlocking?
Most people still didn’t know the details of the Apostles’ unlocking.
-There are limits.
Then another curiosity struck.
-Um….
Wondering if he’d always been this inquisitive, Yubak had asked.
-What about Him?
The response then.
-Don’t know.
They didn’t know.
-We can’t even dare peek at the Captain’s sin. It’s….
It was the first time.
Seeing an Apostle look frightened.
-An abyss that feels like it’ll swallow you just by looking.
Gulp.
Even then, those words terrified him to his core.
But they also inspired reverence.
Toward the One who bore that power alone to fight demons.
Word was, He even performed the rite of Atonement, bearing sins the Apostles couldn’t handle.
-Estimated minimum of 100,000.
Recalling that.
“Ahh.”
Yubak felt reverence well up naturally once more.
If the Apostles were great.
‘Then He is truly noble.’
That was when.
Baaaaang!
Hundreds of gunshots rang out simultaneously.
Yubak, who had charged ahead alone and suffered sin’s backlash, swung his sword and summoned a barrier with his mana.
Ta-ta-ta-tang!
But against that barrage.
“……!”
Something infused with mana.
Screeech!
He couldn’t block them all.
They struck non-vital areas, riddling Yubak’s body with holes.
“Guildmaster!”
Sanctuary Alliance members shouted, rushing toward him.
Yubak urgently raised a hand to stop them.
“…Cough!”
And then.
[Sin activates.]
[Demon trait, Regeneration, activates.]
The holes in Yubak’s body began healing in an instant.
“……!”
Shock and dismay rippled from all around.
“Republic of Korea….”
Yubak began to speak.
‘No.’
He didn’t belong to the Republic of Korea.
“Church affiliate, Sanctuary Alliance. I am Yubak. Who commands this place? We…”
Fully recovered, Yubak’s eyes gleamed as he addressed those around him.
“Have come, by His will, to rescue you.”
*
*
*
After Yubak’s declaration, the gunfire ceased.
‘There are players here too.’
Mana signatures dotted the area, including those of the rare players from North Korea.
Perfect.
Step, step.
Approaching shadows.
“Pyongyang Defense Corps, Colonel Ryu Baek-su. You said Church?”
He sensed it immediately.
‘Strong.’
He’d heard North Korea had some decent players, but one this strong?
“Yes.”
“Jesus freaks, eh? Or…”
As Yubak shook his head, he caught a strange glint in Ryu Baek-su’s eyes.
‘No way?’
Still just a hunch.
“Great and noble.”
Yubak tilted his head at the sudden words from Ryu Baek-su’s mouth.
Was he about to invoke the Dear Leader’s name for a suicide attack?
But.
“Great and noble.”
Hearing it repeated, realization dawned.
The very thing he’d suspected.
“Michael be praised.”
The moment Yubak spoke, entranced.
“Pyongyang Church Branch, Colonel Ryu Baek-su greets the Church’s faithful! The six warriors of the Church Branch have rescued the people and awaited you!”
The atmosphere and tone shifted in an instant.
At the same time.
Flash!
Hidden players revealed themselves, surrounding Yubak.
“We greet the Church faithful!”
Their resounding voices left the Sanctuary Alliance—and the rescued soldiers and civilians—in stunned confusion.
“…….”
Yubak was no exception.
“Did you not hear?”
“…Pardon, but no.”
Ryu Baek-su showed no sign of unease at Yubak’s words.
“That figures. Our existence was top secret.”
“Under whose command are you?”
“Lady Greed, Apostle.”
And.
-Lady Iha Yeon, Apostle, took us in.
If they knew Iha Yeon’s name too.
And.
‘Great and noble Michael be praised.’
A creed used only in the Church’s secret gatherings of the faithful.
No room for doubt if they knew that.
‘He foresaw even this.’
There was reason behind the order to leave North Korea alone.
“Everyone, come out! These are the ones dispatched to rescue our people!”
Ryu Baek-su shouted.
“Colonel Ryu, who the hell are these South Korean bastards?”
“South dogs? Watch your mouth!”
Ryu Baek-su snapped at someone who appeared to be another colonel of equal rank.
Yet his tone treated the man like a subordinate.
Likely due to the gap between players and normals.
Probably military.
“They are the true Leader’s elite guard!”