Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Simultaneous Black Gate Emergence
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With his eyes closed, Go Yohan observed his body.
Twitch.
In response to his will, the muscle cells stirred.
At some point, Go Yohan had stopped praying altogether.
It was around the time he decided he no longer deserved to call himself her knight.
But habits don't just vanish.
Twitch.
His prayer time had become meditation and training instead.
That was when Go Yohan's consciousness turned toward the sin locked away in his chest.
Whoosh!
He felt his consciousness being devoured.
"Hoo."
He opened his eyes.
"Here."
Go Yohan wiped away the sweat soaking him with the towel Yun Seung-ah handed over, as if she'd been waiting.
"Aren't you busy?"
Go Yohan said to Yun Seung-ah.
The Apostles, and even the faithful.
Each had their own domain, but Yun Seung-ah oversaw it all.
"Are you uncomfortable?"
Yun Seung-ah tilted her head.
"What? I just mean rest when you can."
"This is rest for me."
Yun Seung-ah smiled shyly.
"What about the others?"
At Go Yohan's question, Yun Seung-ah smiled again.
"Sion's at the Black Mirror, and Ha-yeon's busy with Goldian matters..."
The church had grown beyond compare to the past, with over a hundred people qualified to be called faithful.
None of them referred to the Apostles as children.
Their bodies might be young, but what dwelled inside was no different from monsters.
'Apostle.'
The faithful revered the Apostles.
Perhaps that's why.
'They still keep their childlike forms.'
Given the Apostles' powers and situations, accelerating their growth wouldn't be an issue.
Greed, for instance, grew her body to around twenty years old when handling outside affairs as needed.
But within the church, by Go Yohan's side.
"They seem to be working too hard."
They made the effort to remain in child form.
"No need to worry. They all enjoy it."
"Who enjoys that?"
"What about you, Captain?"
At Yun Seung-ah's words, Go Yohan froze, at a loss for words.
"...I'm not doing it because I enjoy it."
It was simply.
'Duty.'
Because he was the Goddess's knight, because he'd seen the world destroyed by demons—he had to do it.
"We do it because we enjoy it."
Yun Seung-ah said.
"I don't remember the past, but it probably wasn't a happy life."
Being devoured by demons denied their very existence to the world.
Yun Seung-ah and the other Apostles had lost their pasts, parents, friends—everything.
But after much effort, Yun Seung-ah had glimpsed her own history.
'An alcoholic father and a drug-addicted mother.'
At a school unfit for her, they even pointed fingers, calling her the child of criminals.
The rest was gone, but it felt like that was just the tip.
She had overheard a conversation between Go Yohan and Lee Jae-kyung in the past.
'It might be better not to dig that deep into the past.'
His response to Lee Jae-kyung's question about whether they shouldn't look into the Apostles' histories and families.
'The potential those children possess rejects an ordinary human life. Especially if they've been chosen as vessels for demons and awakened talents because of it.'
Their innocence was likely stained with deep, filthy corruption.
"Still, take it easy..."
It was then.
Flinch.
Both Go Yohan and Yun Seung-ah froze in place.
Along with that.
Whoosh!
Go Yohan's sky-blue eyes deepened into a richer blue.
His Divine Eye had activated.
Unlike him, Yun Seung-ah could sense it too.
"...Black Gate."
The dormant Black Gate was reappearing in the world.
And.
"...!"
The number was far from ordinary.
[Black Gate detected.]
[Black Gate detected.]
[Black Gate detected.]
[...]
Go Yohan was hearing the Goddess's voice.
He met Yun Seung-ah's eyes.
"I'll check."
Even as Yun Seung-ah asked permission and left.
"Captain."
Even as she returned to report the situation.
[Black Gate detected.]
[Black Gate detected.]
[Black Gate detected.]
[...]
The Goddess's voice didn't stop.
"...Thirty-six..."
Thirty-six Black Gates had opened simultaneously.
*
*
*
Bzzzzt.
His phone vibrated wildly until he turned it off.
Wooo!
Outside, emergency sirens blared like a martial law announcement.
Thirty-six Black Gates opening at once.
Even regular gates had never numbered that many in South Korea.
"Thirty-six in South Korea alone, worldwide..."
"Over a hundred."
Go Yohan spoke as if he already knew.
Over a hundred Black Gates had opened simultaneously.
-Breaking news. All citizens, follow Association directives...
-Military forces...
-All guilds and Players, halt current activities immediately and...
It resembled a war.
"Fortunately, no one's rushing into the Black Gates yet."
Thanks to the Goldian incident warnings, or the Apostles' influence?
At least in South Korea, no guilds or Players were entering the Black Gates recklessly.
"...But several entries confirmed overseas."
In the US, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, reports came of immediate entries under Association leads to conquer early.
"Captain."
Go Yohan nodded gravely.
"Only me, the Apostles, and the seeds can kill demons. The rest can defeat them, but not kill them."
Which just gave the demons a chance to escape.
However.
"We can't handle them all ourselves."
He'd declared no prisoners, but the current situation left no choice.
"Pride, Gluttony, and Lust remain."
Some had to guard this place.
"Send the rest to the overseas Black Gates. Prioritize wherever we can reach."
"And you, Captain?"
"I'll take Korea. The good news is,"
South Korea's untouched Black Gates.
But through his Divine Eye, Go Yohan could sense.
"Korea's Black Gates are all connected to one."
"I'll leak it to the Association."
*
*
*
The Holy Order decided to join this Black Gate raid.
The others too.
-Black Mirror's moving. Their true nature might leak a bit this time.
Even the shadowy Black Mirror had to step out.
'Which one to enter.'
Regular Players could only buy time anyway.
Leaving so many Black Gates open would only widen the rifts.
Whoosh.
Go Yohan's Divine Eye sensed the faint connections of the Black Gates, gauging their interiors.
And the chosen one was.
"Buyeo."
Go Yohan said, map of South Korea spread out.
This gate seemed closest to the center.
"I'm heading to Buyeo."
At his words, Yun Seung-ah appeared behind him.
"I'll escort you."
When he opened his eyes.
Splash.
Fierce wind rushed in.
High above Buyeo city, with a clear view below.
A Black Gate yawned beneath.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
And.
Shrieeek!
She vanished, releasing Go Yohan into the sky.
His falling body seemed destined to shatter on impact.
Tap.
But in a deserted spot, Go Yohan landed lightly.
And as if waiting, a group approached to greet him.
"...An honor to meet you."
His body trembled faintly.
"Baekgang Guild Master, Yoo Baek."
After Go Yohan permitted church activities, they no longer accepted only the incurably ill or crippled as faithful.
Under Greed's judgment, they took in those deemed necessary.
"First time seeing you. What's your affiliation?"
"...Speak freely, please."
Yoo Baek was one such ordinary faithful.
"Sanctuary Alliance."
While Black Mirror operated in Korea's underworld, Sanctuary Alliance held the daylight.
A name unknown, distinct from the Holy Alliance forming around the Holy Order post-Black Gate incident.
Nod.
Go Yohan merely nodded.
Tremble!
Yoo Baek shook as if struck by lightning.
"...?"
Come to think of it, Greed had never explained how she recruited ordinary faithful.
Just.
'The faithful won't betray the church. I've made sure of it.'
He only remembered praising her for preempting issues against enemies.
"No time, so talk while we move."
A Black Gate loomed nearby, yet Yoo Baek had prepared several black luxury vehicles amid the chaos.
Escort vehicles fit for a presidential visit.
"I-I'll escort you."
"...We'll walk. Faster that way."
"Shall we?"
At Yoo Baek's hurried gesture, the vehicles vanished swiftly, as if by Yun Seung-ah's power.
Players.
Swish, swish.
Without running, the scenery whipped by using abilities.
"There's... one problem..."
Yoo Baek spoke cautiously, like he'd committed a crime.
It was then.
"No, this is our zone! Why can't we enter? Damn it!"
"National emergency right now, Guild Master."
Commotion erupted ahead.