Divine Seat

After my regression, the thing that troubled me most wasn't anything else—it was the Suwol Guild.

I was confident I could deal with the Gwangwon Sect. I already had the evidence, and in terms of raw force they were nothing special like the Suwol Guild. The Gwangwon Sect had been unlikable from the start. With proof in hand, persuading the Association would be easy.

The Suwol Guild, on the other hand, possessed social standing, military power, and more. Compared to the Gwangwon Sect they were far harder to touch. If I made enemies of them carelessly, I would be the one who got crushed.

The Suwol Guild has no idea I'm trying to bring them down. They don't even know I'm their enemy. I have to use that advantage.

I needed to scheme without them ever realizing it.

Fortunately, I already held the perfect card.

Amatsuka Koyori. Japan's S-class Hunter who believed with absolute certainty that I was the Wind God.

Right now my greatest weapon is the future knowledge from my regression. I can't step out into the open, but… if I deliver an oracle in the form of prophecy…

I could expand Koyori's influence.

Japanese politicians would cling to her. By invoking the destruction of Japan I had already terrified them; they would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have no choice but to believe.

If Japan refuses to move according to my will… then as the Wind God I will simply deliver divine punishment.

A terrifying plague as heavenly retribution.

As long as I possessed this item, it was entirely possible.

For now I'll watch how Japan responds.

I trusted Koyori to handle her part well.

After that, I'll use Japan to fatten up the Suwol Guild.

The goal was to make the Suwol Guild commit corruption. They were prideful and greedy. They were already dealing with Japan in secret, so they wouldn't grow suspicious.

I'll stuff them until they're bloated, then expose everything.

Turn the Suwol Guild into traitors who sold out their country!

The Suwol Guild was a Korean guild. Korea still carried deep historical resentment toward Japan. Any act of national betrayal involving Japan would send public sentiment plummeting overnight. No matter what achievements they had piled up, colluding with Japan crossed a line that could never be forgiven—not once, but dozens of times over.

It will take some time, but I can wait that long.

I headed down to Busan with Park Su-ho. The Korean branch of the Gwangwon Sect was located there.

Openly infiltrating the Gwangwon Sect was a bad idea. Every branch maintained direct contact with the cult leader. Setting aside Park Su-ho's presence, I had no desire to reveal my own.

"Hyung. The Goddess warned us to be careful of the Gwangwon Sect."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"I know. I'm being careful. That's why we're wearing masks."

We put on masks inside the car. Anyone who saw us would have believed we were bank robbers.

There were two Gwangwon Sect buildings in Busan.

One was the training hall—the place I had visited before my regression. The other was the church itself. An entire four-story building served as the Gwangwon Sect church.

"Hyung, why are we going to the training hall? Shouldn't we head to the church?"

"Getting inside the church would be difficult. And from what I can tell, the hidden training hall is more likely to be the real deal than the building sitting out in the open."

"That makes sense. Brainwashing people would be easier in a concealed building than one on a city street."

We parked a good distance from the training hall and got out of the car.

"If we get too close we'll be spotted, so from here we walk."

"You look pretty familiar with this place, hyung. You even know the roads."

"I investigated thoroughly."

"You went this far for me… Thank you, hyung."

Park Su-ho wore a moved expression. I grinned and gave his shoulder a couple of light pats.

"I can't just sit still when my precious little brother is suffering. From now on, be really careful. My investigation showed the Gwangwon Sect is extremely shady. The whole place reeks of danger."

"With the Goddess's warning as well, I'll move carefully."

We arrived at the training hall and proceeded with stealth.

We had two objectives. First, find and destroy the original of Park Su-ho's sex-party video. Second, gather evidence of the Gwangwon Sect's insane activities so we could erase them from society.

This is the real world, so I can't just massacre everyone. And the true heart of the Gwangwon Sect isn't here anyway, so it wouldn't mean much.

The moment we slipped through a window into the training hall, strange patterns painted across the walls greeted us—patterns designed for brainwashing.

I quickly glanced at Park Su-ho. He was squinting, glaring at the walls.

"These patterns feel disgusting. My head hurts just looking at them… some kind of mental attack? Something that causes a similar effect."

"From what I can tell, this is the brainwashing itself. Just looking at them is enough to get brainwashed."

"…If I hadn't built a temple in my territory, this could have been really dangerous."

Park Su-ho clicked his tongue.

We photographed the walls with our cameras and continued moving in secret.

We reached the auditorium. The doors were tightly shut. Sensing the presence beyond them, I smiled thinly.

They're using the auditorium after all. Doesn't seem like a training session, but there's no better place to offer prayers than here.

I cracked the door open just enough that no one would notice and peered inside.

Naked believers were prostrating themselves before a painting hung at the front of the auditorium, praying. Men and women alike—every last one of them naked. On the platform stood the Seventh Guide, Kang Jiwoo. She was naked as well.

Blood's rushing to my cock. Tsk. Knowing how her pussy tastes makes it even worse. Kang Jiwoo's pussy wasn't bad at all…

But right now I had zero intention of getting involved with Kang Jiwoo.

I tapped the shoulder of Park Su-ho, who was staring blankly into the auditorium, and sent him a telepathic message.

—Get the evidence, then we pull back for now.

Startled, Park Su-ho nodded. His face was flushed deep red. Unlike before the regression, he was still a virgin.

We hid in the forest near the training hall and watched the auditorium. After several hours the crowd began streaming out. The Gwangwon Sect believers chatted among themselves as they headed toward the dormitories.

"Are those people really fanatics?"

"They look ordinary, but they've been brainwashed. You saw the brainwashing tools all over the building. Don't let your guard down. They live normal lives until anything involving the Gwangwon Sect comes up—then they flip completely."

"…Wait, those three over there. Aren't they the women from the video?"

"The three statues. Yeah. And look—there goes your girlfriend."

"Ah, hyung! Stop teasing me! There's no way I'd like women like that!"

Once I confirmed Kang Jiwoo had also left the auditorium, Park Su-ho and I slipped inside.

"My gut says the fanatics will use this auditorium again. So let's hide here until then."

"Wouldn't it be better to investigate other places?"

"I've already investigated enough."

The dormitories and cafeteria were ordinary. Searching them turned up nothing strange. The office was the same.

"We can search the office at night. For now, just wait calmly here. The auditorium is a perfect place to hide."

The auditorium was spacious, with multiple hiding spots—the storage room in the corner, the space behind the curtains on the platform, and so on.

"Where are we going to hide?"

I tilted my head toward the ceiling. The ceiling where the curtains hung. An ordinary person would struggle just to climb up there, but for Park Su-ho and me it was a different story.

Evening passed into night. Believers filed in. They stripped naked and began to pray. Administrators moved about lighting candles and setting the atmosphere.

They're starting the ritual.

Kang Jiwoo walked forward. Park Su-ho and I both swallowed hard. As a former failed idol, her appearance was strikingly beautiful. Watching a woman like that stride forward completely naked made it impossible for any man to look away.

Kang Jiwoo took up a knife and began to dance. Park Su-ho watched her dance in a daze until livestock and goblins appeared, at which point his face hardened.

"Hyung. Those are goblins…!"

"I know. Just watch quietly."

Cameras in our hands were recording everything. The knife she had been dancing with so brilliantly sliced through the heads of the livestock and goblins.

A thick, metallic scent of blood filled the air.

"O God of Light! Save us!!"

"Save us!!"

After the ritual ended, the believers put on their clothes and left. Once they were gone, Park Su-ho and I emerged from our hiding place.

"…The livestock and goblins were sacrifices, right? The Gwangwon Sect is truly dangerous. You said this is just a branch? Do they perform rituals like this at the main temple too?"

"Of course they do. Probably even worse."

They were doing it right now.

Killing humans kidnapped from all over the world every two hours.

We waited in the auditorium for about two hours, giving the believers time to fall asleep. Then, late at night, we entered the empty office and rifled through the computers and documents.

"Found it! Hyung! This is the original video! These bastards! They synthesized a video like this of me? Why the hell me?!"

"Because you… you know. Because you were chosen by Goddess Selbretina, right? She told you the Gwangwon Sect was dangerous. That means they know about you too."

"…Bramasen. That evil god has to be behind this."

Apparently the Goddess had also told Park Su-ho about Bramasen.

Without any suspicion, Park Su-ho deleted the video. The original had actually been something I planted using my hacking skill, but he didn't need to know that.

"Su-ho. Let's head back now. Ah, before we leave… we should smash these buildings."

"Yes. The brainwashing power is too dangerous. And this place is just… unpleasant."

Anger laced Park Su-ho's voice.

I set the buildings on fire while Park Su-ho took up a hammer and began demolishing them.

The commotion woke the believers sleeping in the dormitories; they came running toward us.

"Heretics!!"

"Put out the fire first!!"

"It's them! Catch those bastards!!"

"O God of Light! Punish them!!"

The believers who had looked so ordinary flipped their eyes back and charged at us.

"Don't kill them."

"I'll just knock them out."

We beat the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠believers unconscious. There were no Awakened among them, so it was easy.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"

A scream that sounded like it would tear her throat rang out. It was Kang Jiwoo. She stared at the burning buildings, clawing at her hair and going berserk. Madness filled her bloodshot eyes.

"You heretic bastards…!!!"

Her voice cracked. Kang Jiwoo sprinted somewhere, then reappeared with a knife in hand and charged at us like a madwoman.

Her speed was not that of an ordinary person. Fast enough that even I could be in danger if I slipped up.

"Hyung! Run! I can feel the evil god's power from that woman!"

"Right. We've done everything we needed to. Let's get out of here!"

We fled into the forest. Dark night and dense woods made losing Kang Jiwoo easy.

We reached the parked car and drove toward Busan Station.

"Hyung. What do we do next?"

"Upload the video online and report it to the Association. I'll handle the upload. You make the report. Oh, and say you were the one who uploaded the video too."

"Me?"

"Reporting it will get you a reward. This involves brainwashing, after all."

Park Su-ho, who was buried under hundreds of millions in debt, looked tempted.

"The reward… Can I really take it? You worked hard too, hyung."

"I've got plenty of money. You've got debt. You need to pay it off."

"…Thank you, hyung."

"It's nothing. Oh, and keep my involvement a secret, got it? I hate getting dragged into annoying stuff."

"Yes, hyung. I'll make sure you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠don't get bothered."

With that, this entire incident would have nothing to do with me.

And the next day—

South Korea exploded.

The video of the ritual using livestock and monsters as sacrifices spread, and articles about brainwashing poured out one after another.

A cult performing sacrificial rites and brainwashing its followers in the twenty-first century was more than enough to set the entire nation ablaze.

I spotted Kang Jiwoo on television. Surprisingly, there was no mosaic. She was barricading herself inside the Busan Gwangwon Sect church, facing off against police and Association staff.

"You—you damned things who deserve divine punishment! The God of Light will kill every last one of you! Aaah! O God of Light! Kill all these heretics!"

Her eyes completely unhinged, she swung a knife alongside the other fanatics. An Association staffer's arm was slashed open. Blood sprayed. The footage was broadcast live without cuts.

"Force them down!!"

"That woman is an Awakened! Her strength is no joke!"

"Stay back! Stay the hell back! Come closer and you die! I'm going to die!"

"I poured oil on myself! I poured oil all over my body!"

"O God of Light! I am dying!"

The highlight was Kang Jiwoo herself.

"Heeheeheehee! Heeheehee! Selbretina!!! You whore bitch!!! The God of Light will tear you apart and kill you!!!"

Completely deranged, she drooled and swung the knife wildly. The technique was crude, but the speed was extraordinary. Several Association staffers died on the spot.

Yet Kang Jiwoo was soon subdued. Two A-class Hunters stepped in and overpowered her.

"The end times! The end times will come! You insects! The only one who can stand against the end is the God of Light! Never forget that!!!"

Kang Jiwoo's pupils rolled back. Whether it was the power of the God of Light or some poison she had taken, Kang Jiwoo died.

I slowly shook my head.