Chapter 372
Chapter 372
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 373
Chapter Title: External God
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“......An external god?”
Seonhwa’s words left me momentarily dazed.
The way she said ‘external’ felt like it was pointing straight at me.
......But a god?
I wasn’t a god. I wasn’t ordinary, sure, but I was still a living human.
“Explain in detail. What do you mean by ‘external god’?”
“Just what it sounds like—an god from another world. That god probably has special powers that mortals don’t possess. That’s all I know. I’m just relaying what he told me.”
My head started to ache.
A being with special powers that other mortals lack...
When I thought about it, I did have something unique that no one else had.
The ‘Benefactor of the Outsider.’
It let me intervene in the world to earn points, and I could gather causality to alter fixed fates and use special powers.
Freedom from the world’s laws was just a bonus.
Then, Jin Cheonwoo’s plan suddenly flashed in my mind.
His ultimate goal was to become a ‘god.’
The ‘immortality’ he publicly claimed as his goal was merely a stepping stone to godhood.
And he was the one who summoned me to this world...
So, did Jin Cheonwoo summon me because he needed something from me to become a god?
“Then what does it mean that this external god’s arrival will bring chaos to the world?”
She pondered my question for a moment before speaking.
“It’s like an apocalypse. The laws and concepts that sustain the world crumble, and chaos follows. According to him, that chaos could lead to the end of the world—or to a new divine era.”
She continued.
“That’s why we’re searching for the fourth journal. We don’t know what the future holds, but if it’s the end, we have to stop it.”
I couldn’t muster a response.
The reason was simple.
I was at the center of that prophecy.
If she was telling the truth, I might bring harm to this world.
The silver lining was that the answer likely lay in the fourth journal.
I sorted through my tangled thoughts and asked my next question.
“Where is Jin Cheonwoo’s fourth journal?”
“......That’s...”
Right then.
Kuuuung......
A massive vibration rocked the black barrier enveloping me and Seonhwa.
Someone outside had struck the barrier with a powerful blow.
Seonhwa’s face hardened as she checked the situation.
“The Special Task Force must be here.”
I nodded slightly.
Quite some time had passed.
By now, they should have arrived.
Kuuuung. Kuuuung......
The barrier began to shake relentlessly.
Even the highest-grade demon barrier wouldn’t hold forever against elites like the Special Task Force.
“No time. Answer my question. Where’s the fourth journal?”
Seonhwa clamped her mouth shut before finally speaking.
“If you want answers, help me escape the Special Task Force.”
“What?”
Her unexpected proposal left me stunned.
She studied my face before continuing.
“If you want to know the fourth journal’s whereabouts, there’s someone you need to meet. He’ll probably want to see you too.”
Someone who wants to see me...
Haryeong, maybe?
I thought it over briefly and made my decision.
Given the circumstances, I had no choice.
I’d wanted to meet Haryeong anyway to resolve questions I’d had for a while.
“Fine. I’ll help.”
Facing off against the Special Task Force would be a huge risk, but I had no other options.
This world hid far too many secrets beyond the original story I knew.
And to live as ‘Kim Seonwoo,’ I had to uncover them.
“Phew.”
Seonhwa let out a sigh of relief at my answer.
She flashed a satisfied smile and pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, handing it to me.
“My emergency contact. Call me here when it’s over.”
The paper had a number written on it—a connection code for communication magic tools.
Then came another loud thud! The barrier shook violently.
Seonhwa glanced up at it before turning back to me.
“......So, what’s your deal?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know too much. The child of prophecy is supposed to be 19. Your strength doesn’t make sense either...”
Seonhwa muttered, lost in deep thought.
I saw no need to answer, so I stayed silent.
She looked at me and smirked.
“Whatever. If you don’t want to say, fine. So, how are you going to help?”
“I’ll hold off the Special Task Force. You escape in the meantime.”
Doubt flickered in Seonhwa’s eyes.
“......There’s at least four of them. You’re going to block them alone?”
“Yeah.”
The Blessing of the Moon gave me confidence, but taking on four Special Task Force wizards wouldn’t be easy.
Buying a short amount of time, though—that I could manage.
I’d saved the Heart of Great Nature and Fighting Spirit for emergencies.
“......Well, with your skills, maybe you can. You’re one of the top five monsters I know.”
Top five. Higher than I expected.
“But can you even move with those legs?”
Seonhwa’s gaze shifted to my thigh.
My shoulder and thigh were nearly pulverized—muscles and bones shredded by her thorns.
In this state, moving was impossible.
“Doesn’t matter.”
As I spoke, I drew up my mana.
[Using ‘Super Regeneration Ability.’]
[Consuming all mana to rapidly regenerate parts of the body.]
The wounds on my thigh and shoulder began healing rapidly.
Torn flesh regrew, shattered bones and ruptured muscles slowly returning to normal.
In the process, all the mana left in my body vanished.
Seonhwa’s eyes trembled violently at the sight.
“Re, regeneration...? H-how can a human...?”
I flexed my leg slowly. It moved perfectly, without pain.
“What are you? A demon...? No, you’re definitely human... What the hell?”
As Seonhwa muttered in confusion,
A message appeared before my eyes.
[A minor change in the future has been detected.]
[Causality increases by 0.6.]
Then came another thud!
The barrier shook. The impact was far stronger than before.
Seonhwa looked at me with trembling eyes before glancing up at the barrier.
“It’s at its limit now. It’ll collapse in about three seconds.”
I nodded and checked my body.
Super Regeneration had drained all my mana, but the Heart of Great Nature would fix that.
Seonhwa gave me a meaningful smile.
“See you later, Kim Seonwoo.”
With those words, the barrier shattered.
Her words caught me off guard for a moment.
She must have pieced together my identity from the strong hint that I was 19.
I slowly surveyed my surroundings.
The heart of Seoul, where it all began.
Countless buildings filled the view, along with shattered concrete roads.
Ahead of me stood Kim Deokhyeon, Jeong Hyeonsu, Baek Yejin, and Kim Muntae—four Special Task Force agents staring at me and Seonhwa.
I met their gazes calmly.
Their eyes held many questions.
They’d confirmed I’d taken down one against two S-rank demons, so they were on guard.
“Is that the rumored demon hunter...?”
“2v1, and he took down Elina too? Not your average powerhouse... Who the hell is he?”
Jeong Hyeonsu muttered, glancing at Elina’s body on the ground.
Just then, Seonhwa turned and bolted somewhere.
Jeong Hyeonsu flinched and shouted.
“Hey! She’s running!”
As Jeong Hyeonsu moved to chase her,
[Activating effect ‘Heart of Great Nature.’]
[Activating effect ‘Fighting Spirit.’]
I quickly blocked Jeong Hyeonsu’s path. He panicked and stepped back.
“Hey. Who the hell are you?”
I didn’t answer. His expression hardened.
Then Kim Muntae and Baek Yejin rushed forward to pursue Seonhwa.
I moved swiftly again, blocking Kim Muntae’s path.
He gathered mana in his fist and swung at me.
I dodged the heavy blow and weakly manifested a light orb, firing it at him.
Pang!
“Urk!”
Kim Muntae crouched, manifesting a mana shield to block it. But the force sent him staggering back.
I turned and fired a spell at Baek Yejin’s legs as she chased Seonhwa.
As the team’s rookie, she was the weakest and couldn’t dodge.
“Kyaa!”
The orb slammed into her thigh, her panicked reaction too slow.
The impact knocked her forward, but since I wasn’t aiming to kill, she’d be fine.
With two down, Jeong Hyeonsu’s gaze turned icy as he stared at me. He gripped his sword tightly.
“......What are you? No killing intent in your magic—are you picking a fight or what?”
When I didn’t respond, he continued.
“Are you with the demon?”
I subtly glanced at Kim Deokhyeon, who watched me silently from behind with meaningful eyes.
He’d been observing without a word.
He tightened his grip on his spear and stepped forward.
“Looks like you made a deal with the demon.”
Kim Deokhyeon murmured quietly as he positioned himself in front of me.
“Our duty is to take down that demon. Step aside, or we’ll kill you.”
His tone was flat, but a chill ran down my spine. He meant it.
I glanced back.
In the distance, her body was melting into darkness and vanishing.
I’d bought her enough time.
Mission accomplished. Time for me to slip away.
But as I turned to leave,
The four agents vanished and surrounded me.
I stared at them blankly.
Their gazes burned with intense killing intent.
Instinct told me escape wouldn’t be easy.
“......Phew.”
I exhaled shortly and manifested my magic.
I never imagined I’d fight the Special Task Force like this.
And for future events, I had to subdue them without serious injury.
Glancing around, I felt the eyes of watching citizens. Their gazes brimmed with suspicion.
Absurdity tugged at my lips beneath the mask.
Then Jeong Hyeonsu’s form flashed! and vanished.
His pattern—disappearing like teleportation to strike from behind.
I knew it well, so I quickly fired a magic orb backward.
Pang!
“Kuh!”
Jeong Hyeonsu barely swung his sword to block the orb. Then Kim Muntae’s attack followed.
He thrust his mana-charged fist.
I dodged leisurely again.
Spinning quickly, I struck his neck.
“Gah!”
Seizing the opening, I bolted forward to escape.
But Kim Deokhyeon appeared in my path in an instant.
As expected of the team’s ace—superb judgment and physical prowess.
Even with the Blessing of the Moon, tracking his movements was tough.
His follow-up ambush came.
I activated [Instant Acceleration] to barely evade.
But his strike was too fast for a perfect dodge.
His spear grazed my side, leaving a small wound.
It wasn’t deep, so I endured the pain and fired a light orb at Kim Deokhyeon.
Pang!
He spun his spear in a circle to block.
But [Instant Acceleration]’s duration hadn’t ended.
In that brief gap,
I closed in on Kim Deokhyeon rapidly.
It was a gamble for someone like me who specialized in manifestation, but I figured ranged attacks wouldn’t work on him.
Finally reaching his face, I swiftly moved behind him.
His back was full of openings.
I manifested magic orbs and unleashed a barrage.
At the same time, I dodged attacks from Jeong Hyeonsu, Kim Muntae, and Baek Yejin, then fired three orbs at them.
Pang! Pang! Pang!
“Kuuh!”
[Instant Acceleration] ended simultaneously, time snapping back to normal.
I calmed my pounding heart and looked around.
The four so-called strongest agents clutched their wounds, slowly rising.
It had been a close call.
Without [Instant Acceleration], I’d be the one down.
I stared at them blankly before scanning the surroundings.
Countless citizens in the city gawked at me in shock.
—Th-the Special Task Force...
—......Who the hell is that guy?
I watched the scene quietly, then turned and fled.