Chapter 70
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 70
“……”
“So…”
Yoo Seong-un made his request to Priest Kang Seo-dam, who sat in the chair opposite him.
“If possible, I’d like you to treat ‘Black Cloak’ and ‘Seo Gio’ as two separate individuals.”
“As separate individuals?”
“Separating their ‘stories’ is the only way we can minimize the issues that come with coexistence.”
“I understand what you mean.”
Kang Seo-dam nodded.
“The Hunter I saw at the ‘Deep Sea Temple’ must be the ‘Seo Gio’ you’re referring to.”
“Exactly. And the man in the pitch-black cloak witnessed by the Association’s Hunters this time is to be treated as a complete stranger. I’m sure you already know they’re the same person, but…”
“If that is the will of the Goddess, I shall accept it. Since the Goddess herself has expressed her desire for friendship with him, keeping my mouth shut won’t be difficult.”
He readily accepted Seong-un’s request. It wasn’t simply because it was the will of the Goddess he served.
“I had no intention of telling anyone I saw a god in the ‘Deep Sea Temple’ anyway. He didn’t seem to want his identity revealed, and if word got out that a god appeared at an initiation ceremony I hosted, I’d be hounded for some time. For my own sake, I will keep quiet.”
Quite some time had passed since they had haphazardly escaped the ‘Deep Sea Temple,’ but Kang Seo-dam had not made a proper report about ‘Seo Gio’ to the order.
As a priest of the order, it was an independent action he would never have taken without the Goddess’s will, but it was also a decision that would have been impossible if the priest himself lacked a certain flexibility. Yoo Seong-un had recognized this and initiated contact.
Yoo Seong-un let out a sigh of relief.
“I’m truly grateful to hear you say that. Our own guild members can be managed by the Guild Master, but since you’re a member of the order, Priest Kang Seo-dam, I was worried about how to ensure your silence.”
“‘Keep me quiet’ is a rather aggressive way to put it. However, I do agree that we must exercise extreme caution regarding the ‘Black Cloak.’ The being I saw back then did not feel like an ordinary god.”
Not all gods could mimic humans and play among them.
“Could he be a type of Evil God? I understand that many of the beings capable of fitting themselves into a human form to walk among mortals are, in fact, Evil Gods. If so, this separation strategy is a massive gamble.”
“We’re still looking into it.”
“So the Collector handled it so nonchalantly, calling him a ‘beloved work’ or some such nonsense. I still cannot comprehend the attitude of the Collector Guild members. They feel completely at ease just because he looks lovely and safe in their Guild Master’s eyes.”
“But we can’t just send Gio to a research institute, can we?”
“It’s true that the Association’s research institutes engage in unethical practices as naturally as breathing, but for the sake of humanity’s safety, that would be the correct course of action. Of course, that is only if he is an Evil God. Since the probability of that is low for someone who seems to value peace and mercy, I swear once again by the Sun to keep this matter a secret.”
However, the fact remained that the existence known as ‘Seo Gio’ was by no means safe for humans. Mysteries of such a massive scale have been known to wipe out the entire human race of a dimension without any malice, or to create countless living hells.
“Furthermore, to be able to enter and leave a dungeon ruled by a humanoid monster as if it were his own home, and even rescue people…”
That went far beyond the authority of an ordinary god. Even a god could not be omnipotent in every aspect.
Fundamentally, a god was closer to an intangible destiny or a force of nature with a will of its own; they could not play among humans in human form, let alone enter a dungeon so casually.
This was a feat that required a powerful will, profound experience, and immense ability.
“Though it sounds extremely ungrateful coming from someone who has received his mercy, the fact that ‘Mr. Seo Gio’ is a dangerous existence does not change.”
Kang Seo-dam looked at Yoo Seong-un.
“Is he not an existence that even the Collector, who possesses the best eyes in the world, has failed to fully grasp?”
“To the order or the Association, our handling of this might seem incredibly frustrating, but we are also doing our best to figure him out in our own way.”
“Is there no possibility that he might turn hostile toward humanity? I recall that the energy radiating from him was remarkably close to death.”
“Well, if he gets angry, he’ll become a disaster. He might harm humanity unconsciously. Maybe the Earth would even be destroyed?”
“That would be problematic.”
Especially since Earth was already barely clinging to life, sustained only by the mercy of a few powerful beings.
“…I will say it once more: I have no intention of interfering with Mr. Seo Gio’s amusement. Hunter Yoo Seong-un, you must know that is why I didn’t report this to the order.”
“I know, which is why I came to see you. I knew you had no intention of revealing his identity, Priest Kang Seo-dam… but given the circumstances, I wanted to get a proper confirmation.”
To create a world where they could coexist with this terrifying portrait, and in the hope that the day would come when they could appreciate more of his forms, Bisabeol wished for ‘Seo Gio’ and ‘Black Cloak’ to be successfully separated. The same went for Yoo Seong-un.
“Since Gio’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed appearance was already revealed at the ‘Deep Sea Temple,’ we can’t deny his existence. But this time, the only form the Association officially identified was the ‘Black Cloak.’”
“I understand perfectly what led to that decision. A mere human cannot stop the amusement of a god that powerful. I can clearly foresee a future where only innocent victims are produced.”
“We reached a similar conclusion. Though we see it as a rather irresponsible hands-off approach, the Collector wants coexistence rather than control. It’s our guild’s long-standing motto.”
In any case, humans could not prevent the incidents caused by ‘Gio’s Portrait.’ Therefore, the plan was for the Collector to officially manage only the already-revealed ‘Giovanni’ side, while quietly coaxing Gio behind the scenes to reduce conflicts between him and humanity.
“It’s not that the Collector Guild is going to sit idly by. If we put some effort into it, I believe we can at least minimize public unrest.”
“How do you plan to minimize the unrest?”
“By turning the ‘Black Cloak’ into an urban legend. We’ll make it a mundane story that people can gossip about casually.”
“……”
Kang Seo-dam’s expression contorted subtly. It was a look of annoyance, discomfort, and absurdity, all politely suppressed with great effort.
“…I don’t think that will work. If things go wrong, the name ‘Black Cloak’ might instead become an object of terror, and he could turn into an even greater disaster.”
“For now, it’s working on the Collector’s side. Our employees are currently treating the ‘Black Cloak’ like a ghost story, and they’ve found their own balance by adapting to his rules.”
“I believe that’s only possible due to the unique nature of the Collector Guild. I am certain it won’t be so easy when you have to account for everyone in the city, in Korea, and on a global scale.”
“Still, isn’t it better than doing nothing?”
“…Sigh…”
Whether he felt it wasn’t his place to argue, or he simply found it too exhausting to continue discussing the same topic, Kang Seo-dam pinched the bridge of his nose with a tired face before asking a different question.
“…By the way, is it really all right to refer to a god so familiarly? Calling him ‘that guy’ or ‘Gio’...”
Kang Seo-dam looked slightly appalled.
“I am amazed you can treat that colossal entity, who is merely mimicking human flesh, in such a way.”
“Gio wants it that way.”
“……”
“I suppose from a priest’s perspective, it must feel uncomfortable.”
“…It naturally does.”
Regardless of the religion, there were three rules demanded of any priest who served a god.
“First, do not look into the eyes of a god. Second, do not speak the name of a god. Third, do not test a god… I believe you are well aware of these, Hunter Yoo Seong-un.”
“They are famous rules.”
“It means one should not try to know the essence of a god. Priests fundamentally try to maintain a certain distance when dealing with gods. Treating a god too familiarly risks encroaching upon their essence, which is why we prevent it beforehand.”
“……”
“Faith in this era is certainly used as a tool. As a result, humanity’s attitude toward the gods has become more intimate than it was before the Great Catastrophe, and their images have become far more secularized. But even so, the fact remains that any being possessing divinity is an intangible disaster.”
Although we distinguish between traditional gods and Evil Gods, the absolute criteria for doing so are actually quite vague. After all, we label a divinity as an Evil God simply because it is clearly harmful to humanity.
But how can one divide nature and destiny into good and evil? No matter how much insignificant beings like humans try to measure and classify them, it will only lead to trouble.
“Whether they intend to or not, the existence of a god can become a disaster for humanity at any moment.”
Priests had to know this better than any other human.
“To forget that is to be unfit to be a priest.”
“That’s quite profound.”
“I meant that you should be careful too, Mr. Yoo Seong-un. I have seen countless people crushed and burst under the weight of destiny simply by calling a god’s true name. That is what it means to draw the gaze of a god entirely upon oneself.”
“I know that all too well.”
In fact, Yoo Seong-un might know it even better.
“I’m somewhat of an expert myself.”
From Yoo Seong-un’s perspective as a Gardener, the gods of this era were classified as a type of ‘Children of the Origin.’
Intangible and silent disasters closely linked to the Origin, capable of existing in any dimension. A destiny with a will, a living story—all of these conditions aligned with the ‘Children of the Origin.’
But I can’t tell the priest that.
He’d be lucky to only be called blasphemous.
In the first place, the existence of Gardeners and the knowledge associated with them was uncontrollable, dangerous information that only a select few could know and handle. He couldn’t go blabbing about Gio’s story just to save face.
“Anyway, don’t be too surprised when you see Gio active in society soon. He’ll probably be quite flexible and good-natured then, so he won’t cause any trouble. His identity will be solid, too.”
“……”
“He’ll be introduced as a Tamer who is also a devout believer capable of wielding Holy Power, so I was hoping you could play along. Though his fundamental energy might feel a bit different, Gio is primarily aligned with the Sun God lineage.”
“I told you, do not speak of him in that manner. It is unpleasant to hear.”
“What can I do? This is just how I talk.”
“Sigh…”
“Ah, speaking of which.”
Yoo Seong-un blinked and asked.
“Has the Association made the information on the ‘Black Cloak’ official?”
One of the Association’s duties was to compile and announce rules regarding entities that Hunters needed to watch out for. Yoo Seong-un believed that the ‘Black Cloak’ witnessed this time was more than worthy of being made official.
“They need to break the ice first so it’s easier for us to frame it as an urban legend.”
“Since the newly discovered entry dungeon has been named, the information on the ‘Black Cloak’ will likely be organized soon as well.”
“As expected of a priest of the Sun Cult, you get information quickly. What did they name the dungeon?”
“It’s not much different from the place we visited.”
Kang Seo-dam continued.
“They’re calling it the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom.’”
“Well…”
Yoo Seong-un nodded.
“It’s intuitive. I like it.”
It was a fitting name.
* * *
“Hunter Jeong Da-un.”
“……”
“Hunter Jeong Da-un, are you ready?”
“……”
The woman with limp brown hair gave a slight nod.
“…Yes, I’m ready.”
“From now on, we will have a question-and-answer session regarding what happened in the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom.’”
“Yes.”
“As the team leader, Hunter Jeong Da-un, you will be the primary one answering the questions, but if information is lacking, we will also seek help from your teammates.”
“Yes.”
“First…”
The man in a doctor’s coat sitting opposite the Hunter continued.
“Let’s start with something light.”
“……”
“You seem very tense. It has been about three days since you finished exploring the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom.’ Have you not been able to get enough rest?”
“……”
“I’m not pressing you about your recovery, so please speak comfortably. We can only proceed with the Q&A once your mind and body have found some stability, Hunter Jeong Da-un.”
“…Yes.”
The hesitating Hunter let out a dry, awkward laugh as she spoke. Her voice was recorded on the voice recorder.
“I’m sorry. Physically, I’ve fully recovered.”
“As I said, there is no need to apologize.”
“It’s just… I can’t seem to get it out of my head…”
“By ‘it,’ do you mean the ‘Black Cloak’ witnessed this time?”
“Yes, that’s right. The Black Cloak.”
The woman raised her head.
“Ah, has the name been decided as ‘Black Cloak’?”
“It has been temporarily named that, but we don’t know how the name might change in the future. The Association has absolutely zero information on the Black Cloak.”
“Am I the first to discover it…?”
“We’ve requested cooperation from Hunter Associations in various countries but have received no information regarding the entity you witnessed. We still need to verify this, but there is a high probability that your sighting, Hunter Jeong Da-un, is indeed the first.”
“…I see.”
In truth, the first to discover him was Bisabeol, who had recognized his identity long ago. And if one were to count sightings by ordinary people, there was also Cha Ah-ra. However, because those encounters had been so peaceful, no information about him had ever been relayed to the Association.
“Then my answers will be very important.”
“Yes. I do not wish to burden you, but since this entity has been identified as a being of a remarkably high class, the response protocols compiled by the Association will vary depending on how accurately you provide information, Hunter Jeong Da-un.”
“……”
The Hunter nodded.
“I’m ready.”
“Then we shall begin the questioning.”
The man, an Association researcher, began the questioning in earnest.
“Where did you first witness the ‘Black Cloak’?”
“…It was in the temple of the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom.’”
“Let’s continue from there. I heard that the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom’ is structured into three stages: Stage 1, above the sea; Stage 2, the submerged city beneath the surface; and Stage 3, a massive temple. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s correct. When you first enter, Hunters stand on top of the sea. You won’t fall in unless you intentionally try to. If you move too violently, you’ll fall, but… you can climb back up.”
“Then the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom’ must be structured so that the danger level increases the further down you go.”
“That’s right. There weren’t really any monsters to speak of above the sea. We also confirmed that we could breathe even after going below the surface, though the water pressure restricts our movements.”
“And you witnessed monsters starting from Stage 2.”
“They felt like aquatic zombies…? There were also strange slimes that looked like lumps of flesh. Other things besides that… but I believe my teammates have already reported on this part.”
“Yes, I was just double-checking.”
The researcher nodded.
“Then let’s move on to the temple. Is there a big difference between the monsters in Stage 2, the ‘submerged city,’ and those in Stage 3, the ‘Deep Sea Temple’?”
“They looked more hideous? The types themselves seemed similar. But the monsters found in the temple were far more grotesque and ferocious. Naturally, the danger level was much higher too.”
“Then this is where the core of the matter begins.”
Pulling a photograph out from between the files, the researcher slid it over to show the Hunter.
“This is a photo taken by one of your teammates, Hunter Kim Yi-yeon.”
“……”
Captured in the photo was a man completely enveloped in a pitch-black cloak.
“You all described this entity as a man, but in truth, it might not have a gender. Since it’s wrapped in a cloak from head to toe, there’s no guarantee it even has a human form.”
“…That’s true.”
“Even so, is there a reason you described him as a ‘man wearing a black cloak’?”
“Because… that’s what it felt like.”
As an experienced Hunter, she was well aware of the ambiguity of monsters. Just because a voice was deep or a frame was tall didn’t make them male. Since she had never seen the actual form inside the cloak, she couldn’t even be sure if it was human.
Furthermore, the ‘Black Cloak’ made no sound when it walked. The only thing she heard was the faint rustle of fabric. In that case, it was strange to feel so certain that a heavy human body lay beneath it.
“……”
Yes, it was strange.
“…But still, he felt like a ‘human.’”
She knew he wasn’t human, yet she couldn’t help but call him ‘human.’
“As if it were the most natural fact in the world…”
It was a thought that would have made Gio feel rather wronged had he heard it. But I am human, he would have thought.