Chapter 80
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 80
Chapter Title: Know Your Place (2)
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Wol-ryeong had a vague sense of it.
The fact that over the past week, the master had been going out frequently, and every time he returned, the sharp scent of blood and traces of yoma energy lingered on him.
And with each outing, the ferocious aura cloaking him grew even stronger.
What he was doing out there and coming back like that.
The old Wol-ryeong would have guessed it immediately.
But the current Wol-ryeong couldn't piece it together. Her thoughts didn't reach that far.
And why not? Because the Wol-ryeong in this brothel wasn't an exorcist.
She was just a mere flesh toilet, a female with no more knowledge than that. She couldn't grasp such facts.
So even what she should have noticed, she deliberately turned a blind eye to, pretending not to know.
She remained nothing more than an ignorant toilet.
That was all.
"No, that's not it... I... I'm...!!"
"Then, to prove it, why not transform into the yoma's form? If it differs from the photo, you might have some grounds for defense."
Even as he said this, the vice bishop's eyes showed no flicker of doubt.
He was utterly convinced that the man before him was the culprit.
In truth, the traces of yoma energy left at every murder scene of the followers matched perfectly with the energy emanating from this man.
"Come on, transform already."
He urged again.
The innkeeper, sweating profusely, darted his eyes around anxiously, then...
"M-Miss!!"
In desperation, or grasping at straws,
he called out to Wol-ryeong standing behind him, pointing straight at the vice bishop.
"Take this guy out! With your power!!"
Wol-ryeong was undoubtedly a powerful exorcist.
Far beyond what he could handle himself.
Yet even she couldn't defy his orders.
He had hypnotized her multiple times using the "Grace."
She would obey commands without fail. She should...!
"...I'm sorry. I can't do that."
"What?! What are you talking about?!"
"I cannot attack him."
Wol-ryeong's gaze was fixed on the vice bishop.
From the moment she descended to this entrance, she hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from him.
"I understand what you're thinking, but give it up. This offering has already received my baptism. I've implanted several commands using the 'Grace.' Unless you possess a 'Grace' that surpasses mine, you can't override them."
He had already taken measures. On the very first day Wol-ryeong arrived in this district.
Wol-ryeong couldn't attack the vice bishop. She had to obey his commands without fail.
And there were several more commands etched in to prepare her as an offering.
She couldn't defy any of them.
"Or is the 'Grace' you received superior to mine? If so, by all means, try. I just hope it's not wasted. It's quite precious, after all."
The amount of "Grace" he had periodically received from the enigmatic yoma, the Succubus Queen, was substantial.
Even after using some to control Wol-ryeong and Dom, plenty remained.
But would it be enough to override the vice bishop's commands?
How much "Grace" did the vice bishop possess? Even if he overwrote them, if the vice bishop used his own "Grace" to control Wol-ryeong again—
"Not doing it? Hurry up."
The vice bishop's voice almost sounded mocking as he prodded.
His demeanor remained utterly composed.
And that composure finally snapped the innkeeper's patience.
"Ugh, ugh, uwaaaaaaaaah!!"
Roaring as if shaking off the fear crushing his mind, his body swelled up in an instant.
His loose tank top tore halfway as his body ballooned. Along with it, three new arms sprouted from his body.
It was unmistakably the form of the "five-armed yoma" that had assaulted another follower in the photo.
A yoma that exuded ferocious energy just by breathing.
A horrific monster that had devoured countless yoma and siphoned Wol-ryeong's endless energy to grow.
With razor-sharp teeth and claws bared, swinging its savage tail, it lunged at the vice bishop before them.
He had grown strong.
He had evolved.
By the standards of compromise outside the fog city, he had reached A-grade level.
The brothel's innkeeper.
Just an ordinary man who knew nothing, a commoner who had stumbled into this fog city by chance.
He joined the cult because he could freely ravage women, accepted yoma power without major issues, but that was it. At best, it was mere low-grade yoma strength.
But after receiving multiple yoma cores from those around him and draining Wol-ryeong's boundless energy, he achieved explosive growth.
His growth was dazzling, remarkable—a near-miraculous feat.
No mere consumption of yoma cores or acquisition of quality spirit energy could achieve this miracle.
It wasn't just ample materials; he himself possessed talent.
Talent and vessel sufficient to become a yoma. He simply hadn't had the chance to tap into it until now.
But that talent still didn't surpass the level of a commoner.
He could handle growth to a certain level, but the rapid pace quickly exceeded his limits.
The anomaly that came with such sudden yoma evolution.
One of them was the outburst of emotions.
All sorts of negative emotions amplified several-fold within him, filling his body and mind.
Desire, jealousy, despair toward Wol-ryeong burned fiercely inside him, overflowing like magma.
That overflow of emotions.
In a state he himself didn't recognize, he became a tragic monster and took the lives of those close to him.
Kwajik kwajik kwajik kwajik
"Eh... Yeah, that can happen. Power beyond one's capacity leading to rampage, some part of the mind breaking under excessive strength, memories flying out as a result... I get it."
Udeuk udeuk udeuk udeuk
"Honestly, it was intriguing. I wanted to see how far you could grow with 'His' power. If only the follower had kept a bit more sanity."
Ujeok ujeok ujeok
"I could have used 'Grace' to assign murders to you, gathered cores that way... If so, I'd have let it slide happily. Grinning with joy at our new comrade."
Umul umul
"Guess you lacked the talent. Poor old fool. If you'd known your place and moderated, you could've enjoyed it longer."
Kkeureok—
At the entrance of the brothel.
A gruesome scene unfolded there.
Flesh chunks splattered everywhere, horrific bloodstains.
The limbs that had been twitching alive just moments ago now stiffened, cooling completely as the last vestiges of life faded.
The innkeeper who had transformed into a yoma to overwhelm the vice bishop.
But instead, he was overpowered and devoured by the vice bishop in a hideous manner.
From the head down, vital yoma parts, torso, organs, even bones—all methodically chewed and swallowed.
The innkeeper had grown strong. Strong enough that most exorcists couldn't match him.
But the vice bishop was simply stronger.
Far beyond what the innkeeper's grown power could touch.
Untouchable by a commoner's strength, no matter what.
The vice bishop gazed down at the innkeeper's remains, savoring the aftertaste for a moment.
Then he turned his eyes sideways to Wol-ryeong, still standing in the same spot.
"......."
"My apologies. I've shown you quite the ugly sight."
"...Kuh...."
Wol-ryeong stood there.
She had witnessed everything.
A normal woman would have collapsed, legs giving out in a faint.
Yet Wol-ryeong showed no great agitation.
Her teeth gritted, her face anxious.
But the emotion in her eyes and expression wasn't fear from the scene.
A yoma right before her eyes.
The yoma doing as it pleased before her.
Frustration and anxiety at being able to do nothing but watch.
A face aching to tear the man apart right then.
Yet bound by the command never to touch the one who baptized her, she couldn't even approach, just standing dumbly and staring.
And she lacked even that self-awareness.
In this situation, still perceiving herself as the brothel's mere flesh toilet...
"Amusing."
On the first day he baptized her.
He knew two of his subordinate followers, who had some power, were killed by her.
While observing, he learned she was a formidable exorcist.
Yet even with such immense power, she could do nothing.
"As expected, 'His' power is tremendous."
All thanks to the power bestowed by the one he served.
All thanks to this "Grace" granted by the one he worshipped.
No matter how strong the exorcist.
Before "His" power, she was nothing. Just an offering, a meat doll spreading her legs naked.
"For now, I'll take you and this offering miss. You could receive more baptisms among the followers, but... this is enough. I'll handle the rest personally. ...The next ritual day isn't far."
Wol-ryeong glared at the approaching vice bishop with resentful eyes.
Teeth clenched, defiant gaze, yet her limbs froze, refusing to move.
Her mind screamed to charge the man, but she absolutely couldn't attack...
Before such a Wol-ryeong, the "Grace" was thrust forth.
In the end, without the slightest resistance, Wol-ryeong lost consciousness and fell asleep.
The vice bishop slung the collapsed Wol-ryeong and the still-unconscious Dom over his shoulders like luggage and stepped out of the brothel....