Chapter 129
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 129
Unlike traditional gods, who were notoriously difficult to contact and communicate with, most Evil Gods were easy to summon and highly likely to respond.
This was because Evil Gods actively sought out corrupt followers.
“Or, they might intentionally plunge a human they’ve taken an interest in into misfortune, just to make them a follower. While some humans are loved by an Evil God because they are corrupt, others are corrupted because they were loved.”
There was always a way to summon any god that kept its eyes on humanity. Because of this, in the countless dungeons formed from ruined dimensions, there were many cases where individuals with forbidden knowledge and twisted intentions brought ruin upon themselves.
“The most common motive is revenge.”
“Revenge?”
“In rare cases, there are those who summon an Evil God simply because they desire absolute destruction.”
In the classroom for novice priests, Kang Seo-dam continued his lecture.
“Are you all familiar with the Seven Deadly Sins?”
“Pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth.”
“Excellent, Sister Iruda. These concepts existed even before the Great Catastrophe, back when humanity had no close ties to the gods.”
Kang Seo-dam nodded.
“Since the Great Catastrophe, there have been many shifts in perception on Earth. Yet, the fact that these concepts remain intact to this day proves their worth.”
In the religious world, the Seven Deadly Sins were exactly that—sins.
“The proud refuse to learn. The greedy refuse to share. The envious lose their chance to grow, and the wrathful fail to endure. Lust easily blinds a person, gluttony makes them forget respect, and sloth rots away their self-worth.”
Kang Seo-dam looked around at the students.
“Humans are social creatures who cannot survive alone. Especially before the Great Catastrophe, humans on Earth were quite weak compared to the other creatures on the planet.”
“……”
“Yet, even then, the Seven Deadly Sins existed. Is there any brother or sister who can guess why these were considered sins, regardless of whether it was before or after the Great Catastrophe?”
Iruda, the Lowtail girl, raised her hand.
“I can explain.”
“Please, explain it to your peers.”
“As you mentioned, because humans are weak social creatures, they must form communities. For the sake of sustainable survival and growth, they must not commit such sins.”
“A textbook answer.”
Kang Seo-dam scanned the room once more.
“Did everyone understand what Sister Iruda just said?”
“I did.”
“Yes, Brother Cha Yi-sol. Let’s hear your take.”
“I think it means that if everyone is selfish, we can’t survive together, so we have to live virtuously.”
“An accurate summary.”
He nodded in approval.
“The world is vast and humanity is diverse. If someone acts solely on their own greed, someone else is bound to suffer. Resources are limited, and not everyone shares the same personality or desires.”
This was the very method humans, as social animals, chose for survival.
“Some of you might want to ask: when dungeons are overflowing and monsters are pouring out, is it truly right to prioritize others over yourself in such an emergency?”
Kang Seo-dam shook his head.
“I am not here to judge the morality of human actions. Humans naturally exist, think, and act for themselves, so their actions can easily border on evil. A choice that satisfies everyone is extremely rare, meaning someone will eventually criticize even your best deeds.”
Therefore, what mattered was not human morality.
“If I had faced the Great Catastrophe, I would have said this: ‘Every man for himself.’”
“Uh… wait…”
“Does that sound strange? But priests are humans too, and humans exist for themselves.”
“……”
“If even self-preservation is considered evil, then humanity shouldn’t have existed in the first place.”
He would not brand selfishness in the face of mortal peril as a sin. However, acts of charity, when one had the luxury to perform them, contributed to the survival of the human race.
So, now…
“Good and evil are not the focus of today’s lesson.”
They needed to look at the world.
“Look at the flow of the world.”
They had to broaden their perspective.
“Are we currently in the midst of the Great Catastrophe? Are you standing on a battlefield overflowing with monsters right now? No. The world is gradually establishing order and moving toward peace. As that pace quickens, the average number of people receiving the blessings of life will increase.”
“……”
“For priests who serve traditional gods, the most important thing is the balance of dimensions. Only when this dimension, this world, and this nation are maintained can both the gods and we enjoy the blessings of life for as long as possible. So, don’t be foolish. Contemplate good and evil.”
Kang Seo-dam stroked his chin.
“I know how absurd it sounds to be told to do good in a world like this. But if you wish to live longer and enjoy more—if you are just an ordinary person who wants that—it would be wise to be a faithful servant to the gods' words.”
He looked around at the students again.
“Then another question will arise. What if you become a priest of an Evil God who loves destruction and imbalance, rather than a traditional god? What if you desire the blessing of death instead of life? What if you aren’t an ordinary person who wants to chat with friends, enjoy delicious meals, and live a normal life? Do you still have to be a faithful servant?”
Kang Seo-dam nodded.
“And with that, we return to our initial topic.”
His gaze swept over the students.
“In the dungeons of countless ruined dimensions, Hunters witness the consequences of ruin brought upon by those with twisted intentions. This is because quite a few gods can be summoned with minimal qualifications and simple knowledge.”
Even a frail scholar could summon an Evil God. As long as they knew the procedures and what the Evil God desired—or even if they simply wished for a calamity to grant their twisted desires—the Evil God would answer.
“Some Evil Gods will agree to a deal with a human through simple materials and rituals. Someone once summoned one by sacrificing a mere rat, another by drawing a simple painting, and another brought down a calamity just by reciting a short prayer.”
Evil Gods reacted swiftly to even the faintest of human suffering.
“Because hatred and disillusionment reach the gods far faster than gratitude and praise.”
An Evil God speaks to a human at their weakest, and calamity strikes in an instant.
“Because traditional gods were born within Providence, many of them are ill-equipped to handle such negative prayers. Most gods don’t even perceive a creature as lowly as a human, so how could they possibly understand their wishes? And even if they did, would that understanding be accurate? The probability is extremely low.”
“Then how can we receive a god’s response?”
“The easiest way, as I mentioned, is to summon an Evil God. Most Evil Gods who seek to exploit human negativity and raw greed are highly experienced. As a result, they are adept at dealing with humans.”
Pointing to the vast amount of data appearing on the screen, Kang Seo-dam said, “This also explains why most gods who seek amusement are Evil Gods.”
Evil Gods, having the most direct experience clashing with humans, were highly likely to be skilled at understanding and mimicking them. Thus, they could respond instantly to human calls.
Kang Seo-dam clicked his tongue.
“First and foremost, in South Korea, all Evil Gods—except for a select few recognized by the government and religious circles—are targets for subjugation.”
“Ah, so that’s why Evil Gods are classified as monsters…”
“Exactly. So, even if an Evil God appears incredibly gentle and benevolent to you, you must never rashly form a contract with them or rely on them. They are far too knowledgeable about humans.”
In particular, they enjoyed corrupting young priests like these.
“Quite a few Evil Gods take pleasure in corrupting humans.”
“Why is that?”
“We speculate that it is, quite literally, because it’s fun.”
“…F-Fun…”
“Never forget that to a god, humans are, at best, toys.”
Even if the grace they bestowed could be objectively called ‘love’ by human standards, that ‘love’ might ultimately amount to nothing more than a single glance from a god. The standards of gods and humans were fundamentally different.
“No matter how much they cherish and love you, they will not weep like family when you die. They won’t build you a tombstone, nor will they prepare a warm meal for you when you are struggling. Those are things you can only expect from fellow humans.”
Kang Seo-dam looked at the students, who now wore slightly pale, weary expressions.
“But you don’t need to be afraid of serving a god.”
“But doesn’t that mean we’re just being used in the end?”
“If you look at it that way, we humans are using the gods as well.”
“Isn’t that a bit different…?”
“What would you do if a passing ant started following you?”
At his question, the priests spoke up one by one.
“I think I’d take it home and raise it.”
“I’d feed it.”
“I’d probably run away, wondering why it’s following me.”
“I might not even see it because it’s too small.”
“I think I’d take a closer look to see if something was wrong with it.”
Kang Seo-dam questioned them in turn.
“How would you take the ant home and raise it?”
“Uh… I’d give it a home? You know, like an ant farm kit.”
“What kind of food would you give it?”
“…I’m not sure, maybe a grain of rice? A piece of candy? Something like that?”
“Why would you run away?”
“How could an ant even perceive me and follow me? It’s bizarre. It’s not human. Someone must be playing a sinister trick.”
“And you wouldn’t see it because it’s too small?”
“Well… I just wouldn’t know, would I? I wouldn’t even realize it was there.”
“How would you check if something was wrong with it?”
“Just… pick it up? Look it over, or something…”
Kang Seo-dam asked one final question.
“Are you confident you wouldn’t accidentally crush that tiny ant while holding it in your hand?”
“…If I’m not careful, it might get crushed.”
“Please describe the emotion you would feel at that moment, Sister.”
“A bit… sorry? And grossed out?”
“I see.”
He addressed the entire class.
“This is exactly how the gods perceive you.”
“……”
The students who hadn’t known turned pale, while those who had already suspected as much let out heavy sighs. Observing their expressions, Kang Seo-dam continued.
“If a god loves you and takes you in, you will be imprisoned in a safe and peaceful cage. If a god misinterprets your cries and grants you power and wealth you cannot handle, you will break.
“……”
“Some gods might find it unbelievably repulsive that a human has approached them. Other gods won’t even perceive you, no matter how desperately you call out. That is entirely possible.”
He looked at the student who had answered last.
“If there is a god who tries to clumsily understand and accommodate you, you could die from their touch. And no god will grieve if a human dies that way.”
If the incident sparked their interest in humans, they would seek out other followers; if it bred aversion, they would never again cast a glance toward humanity for the rest of their existence. That was the nature of gods.
“In very rare cases, there are humans who receive a god’s normal affection. We call such beings Saintesses and Saints, and they spend their entire lives acting as mediums connecting humanity with the colossal existence of a god.”
“I heard the Saintess of the Moon Cult communicates with her god! They say she is a living god, the next Moon God.”
“Yes, she is a highly important figure. And because of that, the Saintess of the Moon Cult will never be able to leave the cult for the rest of her life, forever trapped within her god’s touch and gaze. Because her vessel is so immense, she is the only one who can treat the god as an equal.”
“……”
“That is far from what we commonly refer to as human happiness.”
Kang Seo-dam spoke firmly.
“Do not try to understand the gods. Do not expect anything from them, and do not try to use them. A god’s hostility is an obvious calamity, but a god’s favor is a calamity of equal measure.”
“……”
“A god is nature and destiny given a will. Just as we find food in nature and do not question our approaching fate, you must do the same. Then you will bypass calamity.”
He added, “That is how we coexist with the gods.”
“…That makes it sound even scarier…”
“A priest, by their very existence, opens up the possibility of communicating with a god.”
“But…”
“Someday, a god who suits you will find you.”
Kang Seo-dam said with his characteristically blunt expression, “But if you end up serving a god who doesn’t suit you, there is no greater disaster.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“So, what I want to say is, keep your heart as pure as possible.”
“Pardon?”
“As I’ve been saying, it is generally Evil Gods who respond fastest to human negativity.”
And an Evil God is still a god.
“In that case, you will face a calamity beyond your wildest imagination.”
Had he not just spent the entire lecture warning them about the dangers of gods?
“One day, you might find yourself desiring something with all your being. It could be treasure, an ideal lover, or revenge against those who made you miserable. Or you might simply be swept up by a sudden impulse and want to destroy everything.”
But.
“If you hear a god’s voice then, do not answer.”
It could very well be that god who plunged you into the depths of misery in the first place. Humans, easily tempted and broken, will grasp for that voice, not knowing it’s a rotten rope.
A god who speaks to a human in their deepest suffering and offers them an opportunity could never be a god of benevolence. It is most likely an Evil God who was waiting for that person to utterly collapse.
“It would be better to express your wrath with your own strength, use someone else to throw society into chaos, and grasp madness with your own two hands. Kill a passerby, set fire to a sleeping person’s house, or rip out someone’s entrails while they are still alive.”
“…T-That’s a bit much…”
“That is still a cheaper price to pay than answering an Evil God. Those who use an Evil God to satisfy their greed fail to even properly fulfill their own desires, and they devastate everything around them. It is far better to take matters into your own hands; you will be more satisfied, and the collateral damage will be far less.”
Once an Evil God, skilled in dealing with humans, gets involved, no one is saved—neither the instigator nor the bystanders. Guilt and innocence are of little concern to them.
“If you get entangled with an Evil God, no one can be satisfied, and no one can be happy. That is why every single person who summoned an Evil God for revenge was confirmed to have died leaving behind words of regret. The same is true for those summoners who desired nothing but destruction.”
Their souls were likely still abandoned in the clutches of the Evil God.
“Be wary of the gods, and reject Evil Gods.”
“……”
“Do that, and you’re already halfway there.”
At that.
“……”
“……”
Cha Yi-sol was sweating profusely.
Kang Seo-dam and Iruda watched him with highly peculiar expressions.