Chapter 128. Angels, or the Celestial Tribe.
Chapter 128. Angels, or the Celestial Tribe.
The bastards at the Ryugyeong Hotel would have figured us out by now. I'd let them spot me slipping through the qi barrier on purpose.
"The idea that a lifetime of doctrine and ideology can be flipped like this... it defies reason."
The Special Forces Commander couldn't hide his astonishment.
"They've probably assessed the situation by now too."
"Th-then isn't it dangerous to stay here?"
"No. They won't consider us enemies."
Nobody thinks of a biting dog as an "enemy." They just think it needs training. To the Celestials, humans aren't enemies — they're lifeforms in need of enlightenment.
"We're moving."
"Huh? Where to...?"
Under normal circumstances the Special Forces Commander wouldn't have asked, but the situation being what it was, he couldn't help himself.
"We're heading to the Ryugyeong Hotel."
"You're saying we're going into the enemy stronghold...?"
He took a moment to think, then gave me his honest answer.
"I guarantee you, not a single one of us will be harmed."
The Special Forces Commander's eyes took on a resolute gleam as he turned to face his men.
"Get ready. We move out soon."
When I stepped out of the Chairman's office, the crowd that had been there earlier had vanished without a trace.
"The people..."
"They must have realized that mere humans can't meaningfully stop us."
No matter how many ants you gather, a single gust of wind scatters them all. The numbers don't make a difference.
Not just the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun — the entire route to the Ryugyeong Hotel was completely empty. Nothing but those nauseating pillars where they'd impaled people and stood them up on stakes.
One of my party, staring fixedly at a pillar, asked me.
"So those people who died such brutal deaths... that happened because they refused to believe in the Celestials?"
"Yes. Judging by how the brainwashing still isn't complete, it seems the Celestials haven't been here all that long."
When we reached the Ryugyeong Hotel, the outside was packed with residents sprawled on spread-out newspapers and corpses long dead. And in front of the hotel entrance, winged men stood as though they'd been waiting for us. Their foreheads were vividly marked with a distinct pattern.
"We have been waiting. They wish to meet with you inside."
The sudden hospitality was so absurd it was almost laughable, and my companions clearly felt the same way — they eyed the winged men with open disgust.
"And if we refuse?"
"Ha... if it were not for Their command to mercifully overlook your benighted ignorance, you would already be dead here."
Looking at us with utterly contemptuous eyes and radiating arrogance, that Celestial made me want to grab his wings and tear them right off.
"Sure, let's hear what they have to say."
"Follow me."
I followed him toward the elevator. I'd heard construction on the Ryugyeong Hotel was halted, but for whatever reason, the elevator was running.
'Did they do something with mana?'
The moment we stepped off the elevator, I saw white walls and antique-looking interiors, like some kind of cathedral. And straight ahead, at a round table, sat Celestials with more wings than the one who'd escorted us.
'Crazy bastards.'
The Celestials who'd shown us in gave the seated ones a respectful salute, then gestured for us to approach. I didn't recognize the others, but the face of the one seated at the head of the table — I remembered him.
"You killed your own people, and yet you calmly invite the enemy in."
"You who still fail to grasp the will of God, oh foolish ones. We have called you here to grant you an opportunity — a chance to confess your sins."
"God? There's no such thing as a god. They're just slightly stronger lifeforms, nothing more."
"Ha... we extend an opportunity and you kick it aside yourselves..."
"What exactly are you trying to pull in North Korea? And why did you choose to settle here of all places?"
At my attitude — ignoring his words and firing questions back at him — the Celestials stationed on either side drew their swords and leveled them at my throat. The Celestial at the head of the table, without the slightest change of expression, lowered his hand as if to say it was fine.
"How could a mere human know the will of God? I shall answer your question as a last act of mercy. There is no particular reason. The place where we descended in accordance with Our God's will simply happened to be here."
"Then why did you smash the statues of this country's leaders?"
"We are aware of humanity's hierarchical systems. But to elevate worship of a human beyond the relationship of king and subject — is that even justifiable? So we destroyed them."
"Ridiculous. And so you killed people, too?"
At the word "killed," his lips stretched into a grin so wide it nearly split his face.
"You too shall soon be judged and brought to repentance. Those who accepted us and entered paradise are receiving secure protection. Foolish creature."
"You call it 'secure protection' to spread newspapers on the ground outside the hotel and scrape by day after day?"
He responded as if he genuinely had no idea what I meant. Like he truly didn't know.
"How could beasts exist in the same space as their master? Is it not faithfulness to the master's duty simply to protect them from death?"
"..."
"Has this resolved all of your curiosities?"
He raised his hand as a signal, and the Celestials who'd been pointing their swords at me let out a triumphant, eager energy.
"Judge those foolish ones, and grant them the opportunity for repentance."
"Unbelievable. If there really were a god, this goddamn situation where people bite each other to death wouldn't be happening."
"This chaos and fear you now feel — do you truly believe it is mere coincidence? The world is plunging into Chaos. But Our God knows the path. We alone have come to understand the truth. And so we have come here to enlighten you."
"..."
"The sole reason you suffer is because you do not know the will of God. But do not worry. We possess the answer. And even the mana you now carry is a gift bestowed by Our God."
That droning tone, insisting he's realized everything and knows everything — it was genuinely infuriating. He gave a glance to the Celestials. Then they moved to seize our arms. In that instant, I released a crushing surge of mana and blasted them away.
—Kwakwakwa!!!
"Oh-ho. For a mere human, you possess quite formidable force. But we are chosen beings, granted His divine authority!"
"You think numbers alone are going to do anything?"
"Heh heh... those closest to godhood are already awakening the foolish ones in other kingdoms. But Their aid is not required to pass judgment on the likes of you."
"This is why the Pantheon says your kind have nothing but shit packed in your skulls and can't think for yourselves."
"What...?"
"You just go on and on, blathering more than you need to, convinced of your superiority, don't you?"
That benevolent expression he'd maintained without a single twitch finally started to crack.
"Human... so you are a heretic who believes in the Pantheon..."
There really were people who believed in the Pantheon. And there were countries where the pope who worshipped the Celestials had taken on the form of head of state. Their depravity was beyond absurd. At the drop of a hat, they'd invoke the will of God and start a religious war.
"Isn't the Pantheon your so-called god too?"
"Human, you speak nonsense. Have you ever seen a beast that puts on clothes and walks on two legs, and then treated it as an equal human being?"
"I have, actually — seen your 'god' down on his knees begging like a dog for his life."
A ferocious wave of energy, incomparable to what the sword-pointing Celestials had let off, surged through the room.
"I shall personally judge your impiety and irreverence, right here and now!!!"
The bastard snatched the spear strapped to his back and shot up from his seat.
"Fall into hell, reflect on your ignorance, and suffer...!"
— Crash!!!
The sound wasn't his spear swinging and striking something. He never even got the chance to swing it.
"Kruck!!"
I closed the distance at a speed none of the Celestials could react to, grabbed him by the skull, and slammed his head into the round table.
"Back then, you were clutching your spear, trembling and utterly useless. I let you live out of pity."
"...!"
"I told you clearly. If I ever laid eyes on you again, or if talk of Celestials ever reached my ears again, I'd rip every last one of your wings off."
Head pinned by my grip and face smashed into the table, he couldn't take any action at all. If anything, the other Celestials who witnessed the scene began to boil with fury.
"How dare you... such insolence toward Lord Tronz...!"
As one, they drew their swords and tried to rush me, but they froze solid, caught in the razor-edged killing intent I was radiating. Sensing my killing intent, even Tronz grew desperate and shouted.
"All of you, do not act rashly...!"
"L-Lord Tronz, what do you mean by that...?"
"That man is... the one even Our God, Lord Heavenly God, could do nothing against..."
"Th-then, is that man truly the 'Calamity'?!"
Tronz, who had experienced me firsthand, remained captive without emitting a shred of mana, but the others — who only knew me by reputation — still burned with unbroken fighting spirit.
"Anyway, a whelp like you got Tronz's seat? The Heavenly God would be wailing in the Underworld if he knew."
Even with outright insults hurled at their god, they could do nothing. Their only option was to tremble and swallow their rage in silence.
"If you're going to kill me, kill me. I will die an honorable death and return to His side!"
"No. What I want to know is where the rest of the Celestials are."
"Are you telling me to betray them!"
"If you'd had the guts to shout at me like that back then, the Heavenly God might've survived a few more seconds."
"You son of a bitch!!!"
Unable to endure the insults any longer, he shook off my hand and tried to swing his spear. I naturally released his head and stepped back a few paces.
"I may not be able to kill you, but I'll take your subordinates as companions on my journey to the grave!"
—Whack!
I channeled mana into my toes and kicked him near the solar plexus, shaking his origin essence.
"Bwuerggh...!"
A sort of smoke leaked from his mouth as his origin essence began to scatter, bit by bit.
"I told you clearly last time, didn't I? If I ever laid eyes on you, I'd tear your wings off."
—Rrrrip!
Just as he sensed something was off and tried to defend himself, I slipped behind him and violently seized both wings with my bare hands.
"S-stop! Not my wings...!"
Panicking, he began flapping his wings wildly. I knew exactly what their wings mean to those called angels or Celestials — which is exactly why I was about to tear them off right now.