Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: The True Nature of the Apocalypse
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“Hehe. I haven’t done anything yet, though?”
The Prayer Recipient broke into a cold sweat, staring at me with a look of sheer horror.
Se-hwa had definitely said it was okay to give it a little scare.
Maybe it was time to really put the fear into it.
“Th-this guy’s completely lost his mind. Ugh. Fine. I-I’ll give you the information!”
“No need.”
“...What?”
The Prayer Recipient’s eyes shook violently.
I hadn’t even started, and it was already offering up info.
Obviously scheming to feed me some fake intel to throw me off.
I wouldn’t fall for such a pathetic trick.
Step. I took one stride forward.
“St-stop, kid! I’ll give you the information you want!”
I ignored its desperate shout and kept closing in.
As if I’d buy that kind of lip service.
“Wh-why are you still coming closer! I said I’d tell you!”
I was now close enough to reach out and touch it.
The Prayer Recipient slumped against the wall with a thud.
“Hehe. Don’t worry. You won’t die.”
Se-hwa had told me not to eat this entity.
So as long as I didn’t eat it, that should be fine.
Time for a little prank to really scare it.
Its left eye glowed an eerie blue and trembled wildly.
“Uwaaaah!!!”
It screamed its head off before I’d even done a thing.
What a total wimp.
I ignored its noisy wailing and played my prank.
A moment after the prank...
The Prayer Recipient sat curled up silently in the corner.
“Too much... I said I’d tell you. I said I’d tell you...”
The muscular man huddled in the corner, grumbling away.
Its voice was so downcast it was starting to depress me too.
“Quiet down and get up already. That wasn’t even bad—you’re such a drama queen.”
I approached the huddled figure and nudged it lightly with my foot.
Each prod made the Prayer Recipient flinch and bury its head deeper into its knees.
“Keep that up, and I’ll do it again?”
“Hiiik! I’ll stand! I’ll stand, just not that!”
A bit of a threat, and it shot to its feet in terror.
Now it seemed like it’d actually talk straight. Time to get the info.
This much should’ve beaten any lies out of it.
“So, what does ‘the apocalypse approaches’ mean? Tell me everything you know.”
“...I’ll talk, but first, could you grant me one little request?”
The Prayer Recipient asked cautiously, eyes darting to gauge my mood.
What a whiner, but gutsy in its own way.
Screaming bloody murder a second ago, and now it had the nerve to ask me something.
Impressive nerve. I’d hear it out.
“What request?”
“Applaud this body. Then I’ll reveal every glimpse of the future I’ve seen.”
I shot it a sharp glare.
It flinched hard but held its ground.
“It’s not hard! Just give me some applause.”
Looking like a cornered rat, but it wouldn’t drop its demand.
Applause, huh. Not exactly difficult.
I didn’t want to, but I could manage it.
Clap, clap.
“Wooo.”
I let out a limp cheer and slapped together two half-hearted claps.
“Ahem. The most insincere applause I’ve ever received in my life.”
“Got a problem with it?”
“None.”
The Prayer Recipient looked a touch disappointed.
Whether the entity was bummed or not was none of my business.
“Now that I’ve received my applause, I shall tell you of the future I glimpsed.”
Its face turned serious again as it spoke quietly.
“A lifeform is trying to be born. I saw the birth of a mighty, wicked life unlike any before.”
“Is that lifeform an entity?”
“Yes. In human terms, you’d call it an entity. It wields a higher power, one step above reality itself—enough to threaten it.”
The Prayer Recipient lowered its voice to a whisper.
“That is the true nature of the apocalypse. It approaches.”
It finished speaking, then closed its eyes and sank into thought.
“So basically, the apocalypse is this new entity showing up?”
“Exactly.”
“Hmm. Not much to it.”
I’d expected something epic from all the ‘apocalypse’ talk.
Thought there might be some fun twist, but hearing it was just another entity killed my interest.
“Not much to it?! That newborn will threaten reality itself!”
The Prayer Recipient yelled, fuming.
It wasn’t even insulted itself—why was it so pissed?
“Yeah, yeah, got it. That all the info? Just ‘new entity incoming’?”
My interest had tanked.
I wanted to relay this to Se-hwa quick and head back to my room.
I edged toward the isolation room door.
“W-wait, not done yet! There’s more info—hear me out to the end!”
The Prayer Recipient frantically tried to stop me.
I’d figured out what the apocalypse meant. Mission accomplished.
No need to stick around for more.
“Wait! Listen to it all!”
“Sigh. Fine.”
As I turned to leave, it started yelling again, being a pain.
In the end, I stayed for the rest.
“There’s a way to defeat the newborn entity—the apocalypse. Gather three tools.”
“Three tools?”
“Yes. With their power, you can stop it.”
Finally, something interesting.
I stared hard at the entity.
“Tell me more about these tools.”
“Er, well... that was supposed to be secret...”
“Secret?”
I fixed it with a intense stare, and it flinched, shrinking back.
“I-I’ll tell you everything! But my prophetic power couldn’t discern their exact abilities. I only know their rough locations.”
“Useless.”
“Ugh... sorry for being useless.”
“Save the apology. Just give me the locations.”
After that, I got the rough locations of the three tools from it.
I had all the info I needed.
“Thanks for spilling. I’m out.”
“Yeah, see ya, kid. Don’t come back.”
The entity snarked at me, so as I left the isolation room, I glanced back.
With a metallic screech, I left the terrified entity behind and stepped out.
Se-hwa was waiting.
“Princess, did it work?”
“Hehe. Of course it did. Piece of cake.”
“You didn’t eat the entity, right?”
“Nope. Check for yourself if you’re curious. Its looks are fine.”
Se-hwa’s eyes shook faintly, then she squeezed them shut before opening them again.
“Good. So, tell me what you found out. What does ‘apocalypse’ mean?”
“It said the apocalypse means a new entity appearing. A powerful one that threatens reality.”
I relayed it calmly, and Se-hwa’s face suddenly darkened.
She looked lost in deep thought.
“And I got one more piece of info.”
“More info? Something besides the apocalypse prophecy?”
“It’s connected. Said gathering three tools could defeat the newborn entity.”
Se-hwa’s expression shifted in an instant, filling with shock and surprise.
“Any extra details on those three tools?”
“Yeah. I got their rough locations from the entity.”
“For real? Ahaha! Knew you could do it, Princess!”
Se-hwa’s face bloomed into a huge smile, thrilled.
“What you uncovered is huge. Mind sharing the locations with me? Everyone at the lab will be thrilled!”
“I’ll tell you the locations. But I have a condition.”
“...Condition?”
An anxious flicker crossed her bright face.
The info was mine, so I held the cards.
“I want to go find those tools myself.”
“Wh-what? You’re going?”
“Yeah. Suddenly craving a little trip after so long.”
Se-hwa’s lips twitched.
Looked like she wanted to argue but gave up.
“Oh, and I’d love if you came with me, Se-hwa. Trips are better with friends, right? Hehe.”
An adventure to find the three tools begins.