Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Gathering of the Faithful
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People had gathered before he knew it.
Most were Korean, but there were also people of other races and nationalities, like whites and blacks.
“I know of the great purpose you hold.”
Park Do-young said.
“To contribute properly to that purpose, I beg you like this.”
His sincerity was palpable from the bowing Park Do-young.
Swoosh.
The others were the same.
To Go Yohan, they were at least the benefactor who had healed their disabilities.
That alone was enough for those who called themselves his followers to swear they would give their lives for him.
‘The memory of that day.’
The memory of their disabilities vanishing as if washed away, of regaining what they had lost.
That memory of gazing at a single ray of light in the deep abyss had been so intense that it reappeared even in last night’s dreams.
If it had been only that, they wouldn’t have stepped forward like this.
“This friend here was the second son of Japan’s Takeda Group.”
Park Do-young said.
“And this one was the raid captain of America’s Liberty.”
Takeda, Liberty.
Takeda was one of Japan’s top five guilds, and Liberty was known as a major raid team ranking in the top ten in America.
“And these are people like me, who were being consumed by tumors and the like.”
Hidden disabilities that didn’t show.
“If you return, they’ll accept it and welcome you.”
Miracles exist in the world even without Go Yohan—if they said that miracle had enveloped them, it would be believable enough.
“The rest plan to change their faces and start over from scratch.”
Even if from the beginning, it wouldn’t be a complete blank slate.
The power they already possessed was more than enough to astonish the world.
“We will build a church.”
Park Do-young said.
“For your grand plan.”
The reason they followed Go Yohan this far was because they had experienced and felt the battles raging in the shadows.
Several, including Park Do-young, had actually participated in the Black Gate raid.
Demons, and Go Yohan’s fight against them.
‘This person is.’
The true savior.
“Of course, if you don’t permit it, we won’t step forward.”
Park Do-young said with a kind smile.
“We’re merely ‘your’ servants, after all.”
The difference was that the ‘you’ Go Yohan recognized was the goddess.
While the ‘you’ they recognized was Go Yohan.
“Anyway….”
Finally, Go Yohan opened his mouth.
“I had no intention of keeping all of you confined here forever.”
It would merely be a prison.
“Once everything begins, there’ll be no need to hide anymore, so I planned to tell you to go seek the lives you desire.”
Go Yohan said.
“But will you stay and fight?”
It wouldn’t be the church, but the world—would they stand on the same side as Go Yohan?
Go Yohan asked.
“We will fight.”
They had seen the darkness, so they feared it.
But they had also realized that an even greater light existed because of the darkness.
“I permit it.”
Go Yohan’s permission came down.
“…We won’t disappoint you.”
Heat blazed in their eyes.
*
*
*
After Go Yohan left the church, a little girl sat on the church podium, sucking on a candy.
Dressed in pajamas, her name was Lee Ha-yeon.
As an apostle, her name was.
“Permission has been granted.”
Greed.
Over time, Yohan Church had developed its own rules and order.
At the very top was the goddess—no.
-Go Yohan.
The name “goddess” sat at the top simply because that was what Go Yohan wished.
Beneath Go Yohan was the apostle.
Even though she was a little girl not yet ten years old.
“Speak.”
All the followers listened intently to her words.
“As planned, let’s start with Japan, America, and France.”
It wasn’t just because she was an apostle.
She had already demonstrated abilities far beyond her age.
“Sakamoto.”
“Yes.”
“When you return to the Takeda Group, Tanaka and Sato will support you.”
Sakamoto’s eyes wavered at Greed’s words.
Tanaka, Sato.
Simple names, but not simple at all.
Tanaka was the current prime minister’s name, and Sato was the name of the vice chairman of the Japan Players’ Association.
Such people supporting Sakamoto?
“I’ll give you four years.”
Four years—whether he could truly make the Takeda Group his own in that time, he didn’t know.
No, he could.
Because everyone moving under those two would support him.
Japan was the place where political-business collusion was more severe than anywhere else in the world.
Corporations and guilds, politics—they were inseparable, and the power of the political world rivaled even China’s.
‘How on earth did she move them?’
Such doubts arose.
But.
“Is it not enough?”
“It’s… sufficient.”
He could understand.
Apostles.
Their existence was literally ‘inexplicable.’
One shouldn’t expect to understand.
From the time Greed had taken her first steps and spoken her first words, she had moved the church to assist Go Yohan.
“And Pastor Park.”
“Yes.”
“The Captain’s words ultimately mean he’ll allow some activity in Korea too.”
It was only because Go Yohan had suppressed their activities in South Korea.
“Right below Holy, we’ll make Holy number one and you number two. That should be enough, right?”
“Don’t you have great insight?”
He had worried about the chaos from tangled interests and complications.
‘He doesn’t yet fully understand the apostles.’
If anything, it was Go Yohan underestimating the apostles’ abilities.
A great one, yet compassionate.
In his eyes, the apostles were still just children.
“We have a plan. I’ll let you know soon.”
They were monsters.
Who else solo-cleared an S-rank gate?
Who else, at five years old, maneuvered from the shadows to seize assets worth trillions of won?
That was what apostles were.
And.
‘If they were on the opposing side….’
It would inevitably be horrifying.
That was why Go Yohan, who gathered them to fight for the world, was truly great.
“I’ll give instructions for the rest as well. The plans are already all set.”
Slurp.
Greed said while sucking on her lollipop.
“We were just waiting for his permission.”
Yawn. As Lee Ha-yeon slumped sleepily, Shin Seul-hye approached and carefully picked her up.
Her movements were as gentle as handling a saintess.
“Of course, if we move too aggressively, he’ll dislike it. Little by little, slowly….”
Blink.
“For his world….”
Lee Ha-yeon had fallen asleep before she knew it.
“All for him.”
The followers’ eyes gleamed as they rose.
The world would panic when he revealed himself.
*
*
*
‘They’re going out into the world.’
Go Yohan recalled Park Do-young’s words for a moment.
He knew.
‘It’s necessary.’
He had suppressed their activities in South Korea as well, but this time he had eased those restrictions, if only slightly.
But it was true that he worried.
The followers thought he underestimated the apostles, but that wasn’t it.
Simply.
‘I wish they could remain children a little longer.’
He only hoped the children could enjoy whatever time they had left.
-Greed’s fine, no need to worry.
It was Envy’s voice.
-She’s a real monster, you know?
It wasn’t something to hear from Envy, who had slashed dozens in a single stroke at the Teraco Guild.
-Sloth sis is one thing, but Greed is just… ugh!
Her voice sounded utterly awed.
“You think about it too. About going to school.”
-Captain hates school.
Snicker.
“It’s not that I hate it.”
Go Yohan said.
“It’s sinful.”
-What does that mean?
“There are good sides to it. Sloth’s gotten too big, but you still have time, so think it over.”
-If Captain insists that much, okay.
Only then did Go Yohan nod in satisfaction.
Already.
‘Three days?’
It had been three days since Kim Se-hyun hadn’t come to school.
He’d heard her fever was severe enough that she couldn’t even get out of bed.
“Why, do you miss her since she’s gone again?”
Lee Jae-kyung approached and teased.
“What?”
“Se-hyun. You two were always together, so don’t you miss her now that she’s not here?”
Lee Jae-kyung snickered.
“More than that….”
That was when it happened.
“Yohan! Here, chocolate milk! You like this, right?”
“Yohan!”
Students had approached before he knew it, offering milk and snacks like tributes to Go Yohan.
“…Thanks.”
As Go Yohan accepted them, the kids finally smiled in satisfaction and left.
“It’s annoying, huh.”
“Well, kids didn’t approach much when Se-hyun was stuck to you like glue.”
Lee Jae-kyung said.
“Se-hyun has this weird aura about her.”
Too radiant to approach carelessly.
Many saw Go Yohan and Kim Se-hyun as a pair, like the sun and moon.
With one missing, they saw an opportunity and approached.
“Instead of nagging Seung-ah or Sion every time, why don’t you enjoy yourself a bit, Captain?”
“Am I at the age to play with these kids?”
“You’re fifteen.”
It was when Go Yohan shot Lee Jae-kyung a sharp look.
“Yohan!”
Another group of students approached.
“…….”
Go Yohan’s eyes sharpened.
Startled by his expression, the students flinched and unwittingly backed away.
“…Captain.”
“This is the worst.”
In the distance, at the end of the hallway, someone was walking toward them.
“Finally….”
It was when Go Yohan bit his lip.
-Captain!
Envy’s voice too.
-Captain.
Sloth’s voice rang out simultaneously.
-What do we do? Kill?
-We’ve found the body.
It was as if time had stopped.
The students approaching Go Yohan backed away and bumped into someone.
Thud.
And then.
Plop.
They collapsed right there.
Her appearance and smile shone as brilliantly as ever.
But those eyes.
Ripple.
They approached more terrifyingly than anything.
“Se, Se-hyun?”
“Se-hyun….”
Kim Se-hyun had appeared.
“Could you move?”
At Kim Se-hyun’s words, the female students scattered as if fleeing ghosts.
As if that wasn’t enough, Kim Se-hyun clenched her fist for a moment before releasing it and walked toward Go Yohan.
“Yohan!”
Her voice was no different from usual.
But the Kim Se-hyun who had returned bore an evil seed.
-It’s Taehan.
Sloth’s voice rang out.