Chapter 503
Chapter 503
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 503
Chapter Title: God's Atlantis
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Herpo came running back to his office, panting heavily.
There was no time to leisurely enjoy dinner at the restaurant. If Harneah had reported him to the Angelus Legion, a unit from them would arrive in just a few hours.
'Harneah! That crazy bitch betrayed me?! After all I've done for her! Ungrateful wretch!'
Just thinking about it made his blood boil. He wanted to strangle her right then and there.
But revenge could wait. For now, he needed to grab the essentials.
'I'll make you regret this, Harneah!'
Back in his office, Herpo first crawled under his desk. He carefully scratched away the thin panel disguised as the floor with his nails, lifted the cover, and opened the secret compartment beneath.
'The ledger... it's gone?!'
Herpo's face turned pale. The ledger was everything to him.
With the ledger, he could flee to the Angelus Legion, change his appearance, and start over in a new line of work.
"Wh-who...?!"
He needed that ledger. It was both his weakness and his lifeline. With it, he could continue his dealings and tap into his network.
"Th-the culprit... there's only one person! Harneah!! That damn bitch betrayed me for this reason! She stole my ledger!"
Bang! Crash! Bang!
Herpo vented his rage by kicking the desk and chair.
His fury reached a boiling point, but paradoxically, his mind cooled. This wasn't something Harneah could have pulled off alone.
'Harneah's no leader material. The most she'd do is obey meekly. Someone... someone made contact with Harneah! And maybe that someone has the ledger...'
The assassination might be connected.
'...This is beyond me alone.'
If someone else was involved, killing Harneah wouldn't change a thing. He'd still lose the ledger, and the arriving Angelus Legion would make an example of him with execution.
'Run. I still have my hidden money even without the ledger! It'll take time without it, but with my unique trait, I can start over!'
Survival was key. As long as he lived, he could rebuild.
Herpo quickly packed his things, tucked the emergency teleport scroll into his pocket, and slipped out the window to escape.
To use the teleport scroll, he had to get outside the village's barrier.
But Herpo didn't get far. Someone blocked his path.
Herpo stormed out of the restaurant, huffing after an ugly argument.
"...I've shown you all an unsightly side. I'll contact the Angelus Legion, so please rest easy. I'll make sure this is resolved."
Mother Superior Harneah addressed the crowd.
The nuns and children seemed relieved at her words, oblivious that she was no different from Herpo.
'She's acting all composed, but she's probably shitting bricks inside.'
The reason Harneah betrayed Herpo? I'd blackmailed her with the ledger. In exchange for her betrayal, I promised to let her live. Of course, from my position, I could always pretend it never happened.
'Time to check on Herpo.'
Slipping out while everyone focused on Harneah.
Herpo had only one place to go: where the ledger was hidden.
'Heh... right on cue.'
I shadowed him, concealing my presence. Plan was to knock him out in a good spot and capture him alive. The ledger was valuable, but a live Herpo versus a dead one made a world of difference. If he died here, the Angelus Legion would just cut ties and deny involvement.
'Might as well step in. Heh.'
But someone beat me to it. An angel descending from the sky with white wings and pink hair. Ariel.
'Thought she'd be holed up crying in some corner... but she was watching Herpo?'
The Rainbow Angel, Ariel, was mentally immature. Pure was more accurate. That's why a true angel like her couldn't hold a high post in the Angelus Legion and was stuck in this remote outpost.
'But her power is the real deal.'
I decided to watch for now.
"A-Ariel...!"
Herpo panicked at the sight of her while fleeing.
"Where are you going?"
"J-just stepping out for some air. It's stuffy."
"Don't lie. You're trying to run."
Cold sweat beaded on Herpo's pudgy face.
"Lie? Am I lying right now? You can discern truth, can't you, Lady Ariel? Believe me. I'm innocent."
"You're speaking truth. I feel it. But hiding the truth is still a lie, isn't it? I can't trust you. If you were truly honest... you wouldn't need to run now."
Ariel spread her wings. They shimmered with rainbow hues, and wind began gathering around her.
"Hah! Lady Ariel! C-calm down! I'll go back! I'll reflect quietly, so please calm down!"
Invisible wind blades sliced Herpo's body. His clothes tore, blood sprayed from gashes. The cuts weren't deep.
"You did it, didn't you? You killed humans... and sold children."
"No! I didn't! Lady Ariel! Listen! Aaagh! My arm...!"
His arm was shredded like in a blender by the wind. Not fatal. A potion would heal it in hours.
"Herpo. You must pay for your crimes."
"I'm innocent! It's all that bitch Harneah's lies... Aaaagh!"
"If you're so innocent, why run? Why do you humans lie? Lies are sins. The more you lie, the darker your soul grows. For your own sake, stop lying."
Wind materialized before Ariel. A swirling vortex, visible despite being air. Strong enough to tear a person apart effortlessly.
"D-damn it...! That fucking Harneah bitch! I'm telling you it's not a lie!"
Frantic, Herpo spat curses and bolted past Ariel.
"...I see. That's your true nature. Punishing sinful humans. My sister said it's one of an angel's duties. Herpo. I'll punish you."
I couldn't just stand by. I didn't want entanglement with Ariel like this. But she'd just shown killing intent toward Herpo. Leave it, and he'd die.
'Tch! Heavenly Demon Divine Art!'
I surged Heavenly Demon Energy and leaped forward, punching at the wind.
Boom!
I blasted Ariel's vortex with my fist.
"A human?!"
"Lord Kang Myung-jin?!"
Ariel and Herpo were shocked by my intervention. I positioned myself in front of Herpo.
"Out of the way, human. Herpo must die!"
"I can't."
"Oh, oooh! Lord Kang Myung-jin! I'll never forget this favor! Block that angel just for a moment!"
Herpo's face lit up. But instead of even glancing my way, he plotted his escape. Seeing his face pissed me off. I hated that I'd stepped in for scum like this.
Thwack!
"Guh!!"
I swung my fist, knocking Herpo out cold.
"Lady Ariel. This scum deserves punishment by human law. Execution is certain, so don't worry. I'll take him."
"...You."
Ariel didn't back down. She turned hostility toward me—even stronger than toward Herpo.
"You reek of demon. You've contracted with a demon!"
"Ah."
I understood her intense reaction.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
She sensed the demonic power.
"...You lied to me too."
"I never lied."
"You hid that demonic power!"
"It's not demonic power; it's the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, a martial technique. I didn't hide it—I just didn't use it. No need."
"Don't trick me! I won't fall for human lies anymore!"
Ariel reacted sharply. Powerful winds gathered around her. Now fighting her was inevitable.
'...Damn. I planned to take Ariel slowly, but things aren't going my way.'
I ignored Fallen Star's message. Kill her? Hilarious. My dick wouldn't allow it.
"Demons that ruin the world must be eradicated! And humans who follow them!"
"Sheesh. Told you, not a demon."
I kicked Herpo's body aside to keep him safe from the fight.
I channeled Heavenly Demon Energy through my body. The sharp winds buffeted me but caused no harm.
'High mana drain, but I don't plan a long fight. End it before anyone else shows.'
I thrust my fist at her in the sky. Heavenly Demon Energy shot straight like a laser. But Dragon Fist couldn't pierce Ariel's wind barrier.
'If Dragon Fist fails, get close and punch directly.'
I leaped into the air. Had to land a hit before she flew too high.
"This is a place for children! Why do you all... make innocent kids suffer?! I can't forgive this!"
The wind moved like a living thing, coiling around my waist and hurling me upward. Even wrapped in Heavenly Demon Energy, the impact dazed me briefly.
Higher than Ariel, into the sky. I sensed winds gathering. She planned to shred me with them from above.
I spun the Heavenly Demon Energy around me. I became a black vortex. I reversed the shredding winds, kicked the air for thrust, and plummeted toward Ariel.
"...!!"
Startled, Ariel flapped away hastily. But my hand grabbed her left wingtip. The spinning energy transferred to her.
Her wing tore apart. My other hand seized her ankle. The rotating Heavenly Demon Energy enveloped us both.
"Kyaaaaagh!"
We crashed to the ground together.
Kaboom!
A spiral mark scarred the earth from the colliding energy.
I'd braced myself and landed decently, but Ariel hadn't.
'Angel's not dying from this, right?'
I checked her quickly. Left wing shredded to rags, clothes and skin gashed, blood everywhere. Limbs dislocated. Unconscious, but breathing and heartbeat steady. Alive, thankfully.
'Planned to capture just Herpo, but ended up with Ariel too. Killing two birds with one stone?'
I carefully scooped Ariel up. The commotion would draw kids and nuns soon. Time to go.
I dribbled Herpo's prone body like a soccer ball as I left.
"Cough!"
Blood sprayed from my mouth.
'Minor internal injury. Returning Heaven Demon Dragon's still beyond my level.'
That's when I entered the alley.
"Lord Heavenly Demon. This way."
Sacha guided me to her home. Too bothersome to sneak into the cathedral, so I followed.
No rush.
'Harneah calling the Angelus Legion was a lie. Even after hours, they won't come.'
If they did and cleaned up, I'd be the dog chasing a chicken. No way I'd let them take credit.
Sacha's house was old but spacious. Unlike other kids, she lived alone.
"...In two months, I'll leave the village. Thanks to you, I'm getting special treatment. The other kids I lived with already left."
Sacha explained as I scanned the place.
"Quiet's nice. Sacha. Call Lucy."