Mutation
After accepting the quest, I immediately unleashed Death Terraforming.
'The quest didn't say I had to recruit him alive.'
While I nodded to myself, satisfied with that rationale, the Red Wolf King—now freed from the underworld bloodwood—began his mutation.
"Grraaaaaah!"
The Red Wolf King writhed for a while inside a swirling black tornado that started from his toes.
Eventually, he prostrated himself before me and bowed his head.
"Your lowly servant of destruction, at your service."
"Stand up. Let me see."
As he rose at my command, I saw he had transformed into a pitch-black armored figure with drooping shoulders like a black wolf, resembling the Egyptian god of the dead, Anubis.
A historic Death Terraforming success! If it hadn't been a quest to recruit the Red Wolf King, I never would have tried it.
In previous regressions, the Red Wolf King always worked for the Black Sheep Cult, so there was no need to Death Terraform him separately. I already had plenty of subordinates around me even without him.
In this regression too, he was just the guy who tried to attack my brother—nothing more, nothing less.
Who would've thought a routine NPC-like figure in the game had this kind of potential?
He's too valuable to use as a temporary pawn just to meet Baldr.
From now on, I should try Death Terraforming on villains I never bothered with before.
Catch the villains, gain forces—one stone, two birds.
Now that I can cleanse dark corruption cleanly with holy power, I'll try everything worth trying.
'That's the only way we'll barely survive the Great Cataclysm.'
Things have changed so much from previous loops that the Great Cataclysm's chaos might start sooner than expected.
I suspect the '(True) Savior of Humanity Quest' isn't just about slaying some demon king.
If demon king subjugation was the goal, the owner of the Bell Tower could've just eliminated me now, while I'm still a fledgling demon king.
Those thoughts make my heart race with urgency.
I need to finish off the Black Sheep Cult bastards and the fake demon king soon to catch a break.
"Red Wolf King Jo Hoon. No, can't call you that anymore. From this moment, I name you Anubis."
"Thank you! Let it be as the Great Evil wills."
"Anubis. Return to the Black Sheep Cult now, find Baldr, and bring him here. Deadline: one night. I'll be waiting here tomorrow night."
"Understood!"
Anubis slammed his fist against the armor on his chest, bowed, and vanished like a black curtain parting in the wind.
With such a tight deadline, he'll hustle to find Baldr and drag him here.
'Now, time to check on my brother.'
After exiting the Spirit Forest Gate, I headed to the Gaon of Light Main Temple hospital where my brother was admitted.
The hospital, attached to the church building, was built for knights and affiliated hunters injured in fights against the Black Sheep Cult.
Lately, with the cult stirring up so much social trouble, I'd heard the hospital was packed.
[Private Room: Kwon Sang-hyuk]
My brother was in a VIP private room. It was a perk given to the hero's family, especially after his severe injuries.
I felt a bit of pride in becoming the hero, but it also weighed on me—if I hadn't become the hero, he never would've gone through this ordeal.
Inside, I saw him in patient garb, looking healthy and spirited as he exercised vigorously.
'That's why he said he'd be home soon?'
His serious injuries were already healed with recovery potions, so he could go home, but the house was deemed unsafe now.
I set down the fruit basket and gauged his mood.
"You okay?"
"Huh? You came? I'm discharging tomorrow anyway."
"Bro's in the hospital—'course I had to check."
"That's what you say to an injured bro? Haha, kidding. Thanks for coming, my heroic little bro!"
His warm, beaming smile lightened my heart.
"Thanks for... staying alive. Really."
"What're you saying, punk? I'm in my prime! Even if every Black Sheep Cult thug swarms us, I've got the youth to beat 'em all!"
"Ugh... overkill."
He looked at me with eyes that seemed to know everything, full of warmth.
"Heard you wanna live in the Bell Tower right after becoming hero? That for real?"
"Uh, yeah..."
"Dude, even if we can live without it, you gotta protect what's yours. Snatching the Bell Tower—your home for eight years—from the saintess? Not very manly."
"I'm not snatching it; I'm evicting her. The saintess... she says she wants to go home now."
"Hmm...?"
His eyes narrowed as he studied my face.
"I see. There's a story there. Yeah, makes sense. Our Mu-hyuk wouldn't just steal from others!"
He nodded and patted my back.
"Ow, cut it out. I'm not a kid anymore."
"Kuhuhu, cute kid."
'Only my bro would call an ex-demon king cute.'
I watched him quietly before finally speaking.
"Bro, is it okay for a guy like me to be the hero?"
"Huh?! What kinda talk is that? Of course! It's all God's will! You didn't choose it out of greed—everything's following the natural order. Don't second-guess; just adapt to hero life."
"Thanks... bro."
"Heh."
Did I need his approval more than anyone's? Hearing him say it's okay made me proud and happy.
"So you're staying here with me. Got it?"
"What? Haha, that's why you came!"
He laughed heartily, thumping his chest.
"Fine, dude. Don't worry. Even if I have to be the janitor, I won't get kicked out."
"Sheesh! Who's kicking you out? This is home now—relax. No safer spot from the Black Sheep Cult."
"Yeah, yeah, got it, punk..."
We laughed and talked late into the night about life at the Main Temple.
By the time I returned to the Gaon of Light Main Temple, news of the hero's appearance had spread, turning South Korea and the world into a festival the next morning.
The revelation of the 'hero from the prophecy who will save the world' was more than enough to bring light and hope to a darkening planet sensing doom.
Inquiries poured in worldwide, and some countries even held real celebrations for the hero's birth.
But at the Gaon of Light HQ, it was less festive—more recriminations for failing to protect the hero's family.
The hero's family's peril was the hero's peril, which could ripple to South Korea and the world—a grave issue. Powerhouses like the US were clamoring to protect me themselves and demanding I come there.
Of course, I had no intention of going, so I reassured the Iron-Blooded Pope it was fine.
There was brief backlash against Knight Commander Jung Hyun-seop, but it died down since he safely escorted my brother here and his intel let me catch the illusionist quickly, minimizing damage.
Still, the knights' morale was low.
"Sob! Jung-gu... you were so happy to become a holy knight..."
"Waaah! Daddy, wake up!"
"How could this happen to our Main Temple holy knights? Sob..."
Cries echoed through the hospital—no wonder.
They'd sent loved ones to the safest place in this world: Gaon of Light knights. Yet one Black Sheep Cult attack caused heavy casualties.
The knights' prestige was so dented that even the temple's safety was questioned.
The Grand Knight Commander's undignified stunt—drawing a sword on me the moment I appeared, nearly dying—didn't help morale.
"The Red Wolf King took a fatal wound and fled back to the cult."
"Ooh! Solo victory against that brute-force monster?"
"Without the hero, casualties would've been worse."
"As expected of the hero! Chosen by God!"
We spun the story as letting him escape to avoid leaking info.
Compared to the knights' failure, everyone praised my first win effusively.
But the low mood wasn't just the knights' fault.
Two days had passed since agreeing to enter the Bell Tower in a week.
Plus, last night I barely slept, tormented by that mad woman's chattering voice in my dreams.
Glancing at the temple's peak, thinking of moving in with my brother after wrapping this up, only deepened my unease.
"No need to stare—it'll be refurbished for the hero's use soon."
"Ah, Your Holiness. You're here. Refurbishing the Bell Tower?"
"Needs structural changes for family living... Anyway, the government and Gaon of Light will support you fully so you can focus on demon king subjugation."
"Full support, huh..."
The Iron-Blooded Pope seemed swamped juggling the saintess and controlling me, his face darker after two days of us refusing to budge.
"I'll gratefully accept for now. Might move again soon."
"Pardon? What do you—"
"I'll head out. Busy with demon king subjugation, as you said."
"Hero? Hero!"
I rushed to my pre-planned spot, leaving the baffled pope behind.
Events meant for five years later were happening now.
That meant the Great Cataclysm would hit sooner, and the Gaon of Light Main Temple would fall earlier than thought.
'I figured we'd have at least five years in the Bell Tower with bro...'
First things first: wipe out the Black Sheep Cult.
For that, I need to recruit Baldr to my side.
Steeling myself, I slipped unnoticed into the temple basement door.
"The hero wants to meet me?"
"Yes."
"Hmmm..."
Baldr's eyes scanned the Red Wolf King Orbis up and down.
His inhuman crimson-black gaze twisted oddly.
"Kuhukuku... so that's how it is."
"...Coming? Time's short."
Baldr rose from his chair, heavy footsteps approaching the Red Wolf King.
"Yeah, gotta go."
"Right. Then—"
"But alone. No place for the likes of you."
Before the words finished, Baldr's hand swelled into a massive beast paw, smashing the Red Wolf King's head.
Boom!
The headless body crumpled limply.
"Unworthy of His grace."
Terrifying heat poured from Baldr's body, his form blazing red like molten rock.
"Wha—why's it on fire...? Aaaagh!"
"H-Hot! Gaaah!"
The Black Sheep Church Seoul branch turned into an inferno.
Ignoring the humans' screams, the crimson-flamed demon emerged slowly from the blaze.
"Unfit crowns are returned by death."
Mad laughter curled his lips as red haze rose.