Divine Power Skill

Vancouver's most eye-catching, glittering building.

It was the headquarters of the UHN World Hunter Union.

A place where those who had to build ever taller and grander structures to flaunt their power even as the world hurtled toward doom gathered.

And sadly, human nature tended to cheer and support such people even more fervently.

Like crows drawn to shiny objects, the masses showered infinite trust on those who displayed the biggest and most beautiful spectacles.

UHN Chairman Karl Rutley was someone who knew better than anyone how to exploit that human instinct.

He had presented an unprecedented vision to a crumbling world, and people losing the light of life in desperation flocked to him.

With the slogan 'The Hunter's Vision to Protect Humanity—Bigger! More Beautiful!', he sought to unify the world's fragmented Hunter Associations into one, and he finally succeeded.

A tall, handsome former TV show host turned politician with a universally likable face had established the World Hunter Association, commonly known as UHN, in this time of crisis.

Before long, UHN had risen to a position where it dictated global order.

To the point where they could hide anything they did from the world...

"Kieeeaaah!"

"Uwaaaak! Save me!"

"Krahk! Kaak! Keuk! Ke, Kek!"

Inside the massive concrete building, steel frameworks like those in a factory held up mysterious, non-functional machines.

From the shattered light fixtures' exposed wires, fresh spurts of blood dripped thickly.

The first floor was shrouded in deep darkness, as if the ground had been excavated below, mercifully concealing the horrors unfolding within.

Some twenty shadowy figures with mad glints in their eyes leaned against iron railings, gazing down at the splattering blood and flesh while listening to a speech that pierced through the screams.

"We have all been chosen!"

It was a clear, resonant voice utterly mismatched to the scene.

"We heard the call to prove our faith through action."

His neatly combed-back hairstyle added an air of trustworthiness.

"So we strove to bring change to the world!"

His clean-cut face looked sleazy enough to have made a few women swoon.

"But he peddled the lie of salvation."

Suddenly, deep furrows creased his smooth features.

"While those vile, repulsive scum bore the fruit of heroism, all we were left with was unjust scorn and mockery!"

The listeners nodded gravely, their faces etched with the world's most aggrieved expressions.

"I finally realized it. Our great cause lies within ourselves!"

The speaker swung his arm emphatically.

"That it falls to us to slay the remaining enemies and embrace true darkness! And that this is precisely my—the true—mission!"

He paused, scanning the rapt audience with flashing eyes. Each time his gaze met theirs, their eyes gleamed unnaturally—likely some kind of enchantment skill at work.

"We no longer need to wait for the Black Sheep! I, Karl Rutley, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Chairman of the World Hunter Association, declare myself the Red Sheep! I shall grant salvation to believers and iron fists to the faithless!"

"Ooh! Truly! Chairman's resolve is astonishing and groundbreaking."

"Ahem! Not Chairman anymore—it's Red Sheep now!"

"Ah... y-yes, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠quite. R-Red Sheep."

"Let us cheer three times for the Red Sheep! Long live the Red Sheep!"

"Long live the Red Sheep! Long live! Long live!"

A few seemed resistant to the enchantment skill, but as deep members of the Black Sheep Cult, they couldn't buck the mood.

'So that's UHN Chairman Karl Rutley.'

I observed them from behind the thick iron door leading to the emergency exit.

Each boasted Iron-Blooded Pope-level stats, but they were still human—bound by innate limits, and the dark energy they wielded was something I could reclaim anytime.

However.

The problem was how rock-solid his public image was.

The fact that even I still saw him as a good guy spoke volumes about how perfectly he maintained his dual ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠faces.

I could ignore public perception and just eliminate him, but that would deal a massive blow to the Gaon of Light Order's cherished benevolent image.

I was pondering another way to bring him down when...

He declares himself the Red Sheep? Talk about a gift from the heavens!

I'd been wondering who to prop up as a fake Demon King, and here he walks right into it. Even that greasy mug looks tolerable now.

Thanks to him, I could hunt the Demon King, progress the quest, and waltz into the cradle with my brother in tow.

The first false king of the (True) Humanity Salvation Quest. Karl Rutley had taken the bait.

'First, I need him to publicly reveal his true colors.'

I quietly watched as Rutley and his cronies wrapped up their ritual, then silently Death Terraforming'd the Corrupted Demonic World Tree festooned with human corpses as they feasted.

"The UHN Chairman accepted the meeting request?"

In the Gaon of Light Main Temple's grand conference room, Jeong Hyeon-seop sat across from me, his face shocked as he asked the Pope.

"Yes. I thought he might refuse since we requested it just yesterday, but luckily, he contacted us saying he'd arrive this morning on a flight with Lea Shed."

"You said the Hero made the formal request? What's his sudden reason?"

"Who knows..."

The Iron-Blooded Pope's eyes flickered uneasily.

"I want to believe the Hero isn't turning toward UHN, but..."

"No way! The Hero and his family member, Kwon Sang-hyuk, both wanted to stay in Korea. There's no reason for a sudden change of heart!"

"Human hearts are unpredictable. But we shouldn't jump to conclusions either. Not yet, at least."

"Sigh..."

Jeong Hyeon-seop, stroking his chin thoughtfully, suddenly recalled something and asked the Pope.

"At the last meeting, Education Branch Chief Kim Jeong-pal seemed ideologically impure. If he's close to the UHN Chairman, maybe the Chairman isn't so great either."

"Not at all. Chairman Rutley is renowned for his excellent character and deep insight. It's just that his big-picture views and actions sometimes clash with Korea's position. We can't condemn him for that."

"I see... Well, if you, who's met him up close, say so, then it must be true."

Reluctantly nodding as the Pope defended the Chairman, Jeong Hyeon-seop continued.

"Yes, preparations for the afternoon meeting are proceeding smoothly."

"The Chairman sent word to minimize the attendees for the meeting."

"Why suddenly...? Security? We've always done them publicly for PR before."

"Probably trying to persuade the Hero to come to UHN headquarters. If that fails, he might resort to threats."

"Nah, it won't work. The Hero Kwon Mu-hyuk may be young, but he doesn't seem like a pushover."

"If trouble brews between them, we stand fully with the Hero. Understood?"

"Of course! Though we rely on the World Hunter Association, our mission as Gaon of Light representatives is to spread God's will."

The Iron-Blooded Pope clasped his hands, burying his anxious face.

"Haah, I pray the Chairman shows wisdom and avoids any clash between the Hero and the World Hunter Union."

"Will things go that smoothly?"

"We can only hope God's will flows that way."

Watching the Pope, Jeong Hyeon-seop turned his gaze to the scenery outside, tension etching his face.

At ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the end of his line of sight stood the VIP quarters building where the Hero resided.

'Or perhaps... we should pray that God's will aligns with the Hero's.'

One hour before the meeting.

I checked the status of my gear and the people entering the venue with me: the Pope, Knight Commander Jeong Hyeon-seop, and ten Holy Knights.

Since Rutley responded to my summons, this meeting was likely his debut stage.

That meant ensuring the safety of at least those accompanying me to the meeting.

'That's the proper way to pay for this massive divine power from purging the Corrupted Demonic World Tree.'

It wasn't just strengthening Hero skills.

These three skills consolidated every function to maximize the utility of wielding Divine Power energy.

Now I could boost or steal someone's Divine Power at will.

Just like Death Terraforming, the pinnacle skill from dark energy.