Episode 17. The Encounter (2)

—Si-woo-nim's feats) Became a transcendent and immediately killed the terrorist, closed the Red Sea, and stopped the presidential assassination.

—+Even exposed the demon worshiper

—These feats are legit insane;

Praise poured in endlessly.

That praise also mirrored the anxiety festering among the public.

And sure enough, as time passed, the unease began to surface.

Demon worshipers gain the power to use strength in the real world through something called Fall.

The idea of deranged natural awakeners falling ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was truly terrifying.

Hadn't the Yeouido incident proven that?

"Explosion is art."

The bomb maniac's famous quote and life motto.

A hunter with a history of arrest multiple times for all sorts of insane antics.

Side effects?

None at all.

Even in the Tower, optimized for hunter growth, you die if things go wrong.

Or vanish like Sword Emperor Kim Hong-sik.

But demon worshipers get no-risk transcendence.

In truth, there's a side effect of never being able to enter gates again...

But Shin Si-woo doesn't know this yet.

He hasn't fully grasped the changes in demon worshipers on Earth either.

Anyway.

All sorts of opinions kept flooding in.

Hunters risk their lives fighting in gates, keeping Korea safe.

VS

Those same hunters falling and causing terror on Earth is scarier.

Well-known hunters are scarier.

Public opinion flowed that way.

Then hopeful opinions started emerging.

This was revealed by the president after Shin Si-woo left.

It wasn't just a fashion accessory bracelet.

The saintess, who had vanished from the world again, was dragged back into the spotlight.

Meanwhile.

"……."

Im Ji-ah, the Fate Saint, scrolled through countless hate comments.

Her eyes narrowed.

Honestly, she felt wronged.

"These noobs who don't even know the Martingale system keep spouting nonsense."

A betting method where you double down after every loss.

Even after 1,000 losses, one win makes it all profit.

A profoundly wise and efficient strategy.

With national budget, you could attempt it near-infinitely.

'In blackjack, the player's win rate is a whopping 49%...'

Victory is inevitable eventually.

The ignorant masses don't know this.

"If it weren't for that bastard Patriot, I'd have won 600 trillion and been living as a hero... "

The saintess was in the final stretch of an all-in gamble when Patriot barged in.

Accusing her of misusing the national strategic resource mystery, he demanded execution.

She still shuddered thinking about it.

"Take it."

Of course, even as these thoughts raced through her mind, the saintess was gambling.

This time, blackjack.

A game where you get two cards, and the closest to 21 wins.

Im Ji-ah's cards were laid down.

'Weird.'

Ever since meeting Shin Si-woo, her luck had been strangely good.

And it wasn't just her.

Her opponent, the blackjack dealer, was also getting good cards.

One card hidden, but the visible one was too strong.

A is 1 or 11.

If the hidden card is 10?

Dealer hits 21 blackjack, and she loses outright.

'Time to go aggressive.'

Saintess's cards: identical [10] [10].

Blackjack has a rule called 'split'.

"Split."

She split the two 10s.

Her field doubled.

Naturally, the bet doubles too.

"Collateral: one lung."

Her cards split on the casino table.

She tapped the table for the next cards.

"Huh?"

Blackjack.

Ties even if dealer hits 21.

Wins if not.

Momentum now.

She drew the next cards immediately.

"Wha-wha-what???"

The saintess's hollow eyes widened round.

First time since she started gambling.

Two blackjacks?

"Noobs."

She muttered to some invisible someone.

Her opponent swiftly revealed their cards in response.

Dealer's total: 20.

Im Ji-ah's complete victory.

'Genius strategy as expected.'

Double (double bet for one card), split (split same-number cards), any pair (11x payout on pair).

Im Ji-ah continued bold bets.

'Blackjack suits me.'

Result: 17 straight wins.

The moment she aimed for 18—

"Wha? Where you going!!!"

Her opponent vanished.

Suddenly, a shadow fell.

Turning, Shin Si-woo stood there, staring silently.

'...When did he?!'

Tall stature, handsome face.

Eye candy for anyone.

But the saintess felt fear.

His hand held a bloodied sword.

Shin Si-woo asked.

"Can I take that?"

The saintess stared long, then nodded.

After revealing info on demon worshipers, I headed straight for the Fate Saint.

According to Reinhardt, 2nd Sword Yuria Lanestia had created her own trial...

This visit was to obtain countermeasures.

"Good work."

My expression soured involuntarily.

1st Sword Reinhardt is like a dutiful son to me.

2nd Sword Yuria, on the other hand, is a sword that never listens.

'Wants to meet a man, ditches the battlefield...'

Honestly, if not for being perfect for the new Holy build, I'd have replaced that NPC long ago.

—Sword. Why do you keep throwing me into these brutal battlefields?

It took over 100 trillion runs to master controlling her.

Send her to the harshest battlefields.

Places where survival consumes every thought.

Even after she gained power, I manipulated grand flows to push her limits.

The world was saved as a result.

'Not you, though—.'

A strange feeling washed over me.

In the game, I just picked options.

Now, I thought of the NPCs in my swords as ones I raised.

'From spending so much time together?'

The answer would come upon entering the Tower and facing her.

Before entering, I reaffirmed my goal.

'Three cards.'

Im Ji-ah, who only lost at gambling, surprisingly excels at it.

Like last time, she had three golden cards.

She divined my fate's flow with them.

Results were satisfying.

1. How to overcome 2nd Sword's trial.

2. Tips to raise Agasword well.

3. Jesus Christ's arrival date.

Problem: Jesus arrives tomorrow...

But after Tower and freeing 2nd Sword, it'll resolve.

I headed to the Tower from the safe Blue House underground bunker.

A mechanical voice announced my entry into the Tower's trial.

The floor had the usual green circle safe zone.

But surroundings changed.

'Where is this?'

A room of pristine white space.

At the center: a massive, grand, imposing sword radiating dazzling, distant holiness.

My 2nd Sword, the one I customized most: the Holy Sword.

I approached, entranced, thinking.

'Not the Abyss.'

Tower 1F and 2F were the Abyss interiors where I first met the NPCs.

3F is different.

Unfamiliar, yet these white walls evoked something.

'Isn't this the gorge entrance?'

Where 2nd Sword shone in mid-to-late game.

2D dot graphics battlefield, but I remember precisely from 100T+ runs.

'Battlefield guarding the entire Holy Kingdom.'

Enemy: darkness from the Abyss.

2nd Sword had to defend the kingdom alone.

I instructed evac via sword interaction; all citizens fled through the single path into the gorge.

Then enemies swarmed.

'Darkness.'

Abstract.

Only 2nd Sword could face it there.

Thus, Yuria guarded the gorge alone.

I hadn't known, watching sped-up screens.

2nd Sword whining about mere 100 days left me speechless.

'100 days? Piece of cake.'

10 years, 33 years, till death.

Reinhardt's training endured.

What about 5th Sword Iris?

'Wandered continent 100 years, erasing life until gaining a million devils.'

Just 100 days?

To test me?

'Kinda pisses me off.'

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pushed her harshly not just to complete the Holy Sword.

Her will to save the world made it possible.

And...

"I am the Sword Master."

All six Ego Swords are mine.

Salvation from swords I gave plus strategies from exploring their worlds.

World's end.

'A sword testing its master.'

Once arrogant, now just laughable.

Swish—.

I drew the Holy Sword from the pedestal.

Its power flowed naturally.

This is...

'Incomplete.'

Unlike transcendent absolute power.

Lacking.

'So what?'

Tower trial or whatever, my class is Sword Master.

2nd Sword Yuria's legend manifested as my trial.

I had no plan to swing for 100 days like her.

Casually gripping the sword, I said.

"Iris."

5th Sword, Iris Luzvela.

Manifest her power.

In this sword's world, Iris manifests for 4 hours.

BOOM————.

The world shook.

The red sword whispered.

Red aura surged over the incomplete holy sword.

Soon, the holy blade vanished, replaced by a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠massive red greatsword in my hand.

And—.

Shaaaaaa————.

The demon god summoned by demon worshipers to destroy the Holy Kingdom.

The 'darkness' appeared.

Devouring the white space, darkness as phenomenon, not creature.

But nothing 5th Sword Iris Luzvela can't kill exists.

Nor anything her devils can't devour.

"Devour it."

I commanded.

Red devils tore into the darkness.

Meant to defend till darkness ended, devils crossed the endless gorge to its source.

In moments, darkness vanished from the world.

Yuria gasped at the sight.

I hadn't expected to clear the trial this way either.

'What was that tarot card?'

Once more, confirmed 'Fate Saint' Im Ji-ah's prowess.

Her card depicted red devils devouring darkness.

"It can."

I didn't use the holy sword's power.

No issue.

I'm their master.

To confused Yuria, I replied flatly.

"That's why I'm Sword Master."

Master of the swords.

Soon, this scenario might replay on Earth.

No time for sword staring contests.

So.

"No more deviations."

I said curtly.

"Worlds flow in limited time."

This is sincere.

Raise a Sword worlds follow similar storylines.

Miss the timing, sword ends.

World perishes no matter what.

Thus, I pushed swords relentlessly.

"Now my world will too."

No wasting time idly.

They say sincerity always works.

Yuria spoke in a gentler tone.

Seemed subtly pleased.

With this—

Trial ended.

She acknowledged me.

Whatever she realized, I don't know...

Her end was Sad Ending.

World saved, but sword-wielding NPC met lonely end.

Now, different.

2nd Sword turned friendly instantly.

Plus 3F clear rewards.

Agasword growth unlocked.

And...

'Jesus countermeasures solid.'

Two SSS random boxes.

Skills from them plus 2nd Sword's holiness?

Like prophecy, Jesus might call me brother.