18. Encounter (3)
“Jesus. Forgive my failure to discern the will of God. A—men.”
The Oval Office in the White House.
President Bill Johnson bowed his head before Jesus.
“President Bill Johnson. You have sinned by allowing the continental tyrant Shin Si-woo a few more days of life—”
Jesus spread his arms benevolently.
His long, black arms embraced the white president.
“In the name of Jesus Christ, I forgive you that sin.”
Jesus forgave the sin.
Bill was no longer a sinner.
He was the president of the United States.
“I will devote all our efforts to dealing with Shin Si-woo.”
“Oh, Bill! You should have stopped me from the start. The situation has already grown beyond reversal.”
“I’m sorry.”
When Shin Si-woo first appeared in the world, Jesus had declared he would immediately use Hand of God to kill him.
But President Bill had stubbornly talked him out of it.
Jesus was America’s god.
A mad Awakener who erased all disabilities across the entire nation.
The owner of a monstrous miracle that could tear gates apart.
But…
That power that blew away Mexico City while chasing a drug cartel.
Jesus was a natural Awakener too.
His head wasn’t right.
So Bill had assumed he just wanted to kill the slightly ominous Awakener who appeared in Korea.
But Shin Si-woo… he’s truly the black hand behind the world.
President Bill clearly understood the current situation.
“The U.S. government will do its utmost to aid the descent of God’s will.”
“Oh, Bill. The leader of the demon worshipers is definitely Shin Si-woo.”
“We will obey without question.”
Shin Si-woo was the leader of the demon worshipers.
The evidence was Shin Si-woo’s existence itself.
Matching the information he revealed about demon worshipers with his actions led straight to the answer.
1. Corrupted hunters can use transcendent-level power in reality.
The B-class mage Park Chang-seok, who supervised Shin Si-woo’s combat test right after awakening, fell to corruption.
He had been a perfectly normal B-class hunter.
Confirmed by CIA agents.
That ordinary B-class hunter went into a gate with Shin Si-woo and emerged corrupted, launching a terrorist attack in Yeouido.
And then what?
2. Under certain conditions, gates can be corrupted to erode reality.
A kind of forced gate break.
The day after Shin Si-woo visited the Red Sea, it overflowed and invaded reality.
It made no sense.
This couldn’t be coincidence.
And who handled all of it?
Shin Si-woo himself.
He staged it all himself.
Turning himself into a mighty SSS-class transcendent and gaining overwhelming support in Korea.
As a result, he summoned a world-ending monster and still received praise, ascending to the absolute throne.
He even stopped the president’s assassination at the transcendent ceremony.
That incident wasn’t a mere failed assassination attempt.
The truth of the failed assassination as grasped by the U.S. government was—
“Lord Jesus. It’s almost like… he’s tempting mediocre Awakeners to become demon worshipers, isn’t it?”
A reevaluation of fringe Awakeners like assassins, deemed useless in gates.
He was luring them.
“Oh, Bill. What took you so long to notice?”
Flap—flap—.
Jesus’s twin tails shook.
It was a kind of omen.
“Still, using Hand of God is…”
Hand of God.
The power that perfectly crushed a designated area with Jesus’s palm.
The insane ability that erased half of Mexico City.
“Oh, Bill! Don’t worry. I’ll go to Korea myself.”
Jesus judged he couldn’t kill Shin Si-woo with Hand of God.
The man had already created something horrific like “demon worshipers” in a world chaotic from gates—
Woooong.
Jesus gripped his cross necklace.
It grew to three meters in size.
Jesus spread his body in the shape of a cross (十) atop it.
Click—.
The cross and Jesus became one.
In that state, the massive cross floated into the air.
“Bill, I’ll be back.”
“A—men.”
Jesus vanished over the White House windows toward the Pacific.
President Bill wiped cold sweat as he watched his retreating figure.
He returned from the Tower.
Looking around, he saw walls coated in mystery.
The place where he entered the Tower.
The underground bunker in the Blue House.
And…
“Take it.”
A casino table came into view, with the Fate Saint Im Ji-ah sitting there.
She was so absorbed in gambling she hadn’t noticed his return.
World Net showed about a day had passed, but Im Ji-ah seemed to have gambled non-stop without sleep.
As he thought that—
Bam!!
Im Ji-ah suddenly slammed the table.
Then she screamed like a madwoman.
“Royal straight flush! You trash!!!!”
She’d won at gambling again.
She won every time he saw her…
Then why the hell did she blow 300 trillion?
She didn’t seem bad at it.
“Jaaackpot!!!”
Slide—.
A single golden card appeared on the casino table.
Then, with a clatter—, an enormous pile of gold coins poured from the air.
Those were coins.
Currency for the exclusive shop.
One golden coin equaled 10,000 coins.
Ten billion won in Korean currency.
Unlike market-priced Tower Entry Tickets, coins maintained an absolute ratio of 10 billion per 10,000.
They unified global currency values, but he didn’t know the details.
Anyway.
The saint who’d won a Tarot Card and piles of coins rose from her seat.
Only then did she spot him, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Shin… Si-woo… nim.”
She looked at him with a strange gaze.
Then, suddenly, she knocked over the piled golden coins and prophetic cards on the casino table—
“Cut it out already.”
She warned him sharply.
“What are you talking about?”
At his bewildered question, an unbelievable answer came from the gambling addict saint.
“I keep winning because of you.”
“Oh, that’s great news.”
Wasn’t that a good thing?
No sooner had he thought that—
“Gambling is!!!”
The saint’s gambling philosophy poured out.
She truly seemed insane.
“—about the joy of losing and earning it back, and the bigger the loss, the greater the happiness!!!”
In other words, the current joy was fleeting.
She hated meaningless victories.
At this rate, she’d lose the thrill of a desperate comeback at the very end.
Guess my influence does affect wins and losses.
Before, he’d felt he could kill the mysterious opponent Im Ji-ah was gambling against.
It seemed that affected outcomes.
But winning was good, right?
“Si-woo-nim, put yourself in my shoes!!!”
What if he was guaranteed constant wins in gambling?
Every bet multiplied, no-risk even on crazy plays?
Endless guilt-free pleasure.
Sounds sweet.
He was confident he’d revel in endless victories.
“I’d welcome it anytime, though…”
“That’s why I’m saying it. How can anyone live winning forever?”
“If you can win perfectly, wouldn’t it be best to exploit it fully?”
Her ability was future prophecy, no less.
The ultimate cheat.
Yet…
“I hate it. It’s no fun.”
Reasoning failed.
As a life-or-death gambling addict, she left no room for negotiation.
“Better to quit gambling than live a scripted life!!!”
Her firm stance made him bow his head.
Awakening powers scaled with trial depth.
He shouldn’t prod her broken parts.
“I’ll hold back.”
He said that for now.
In truth, he had no intention of making the Fate Saint lose at gambling.
Her wins brought future prophecy cards.
Leave her be usually, nudge wins only when needed.
As their talk ended—
“Shin Si-woo, something urgent.”
Kang Mu-jin entered the bunker.
He glanced fondly at the coin piles on the saint’s table, then turned to him.
The intensity in his eyes revealed his purpose.
So he asked.
“Jesus—how far has he come?”
The only major issue worth seeking him out now.
Sure enough, Chief Prosecutor Kang Mu-jin furrowed his thick brows and said Jesus would arrive in Korea soon.
“America’s god coming in person.”
The implication was clear.
—A mere government can’t meddle in transcendent affairs, so handle it yourself!!!
He took the hint and spoke first.
“Anyway, I just need to go ‘persuade’ him appropriately.”
Confirm to Jesus that he was a harmless, upright Awakener.
But Chief Prosecutor Kang Mu-jin seemed deeply worried.
“Do not antagonize him. Jesus could crush Korea in one blow.”
“Why would I fight Jesus? He’s not a bad guy.”
Having witnessed the power of his fifth sword, Iris Luzvela, up close, he understood the caution.
He asked.
“Any countermeasures?”
Shin Si-woo smiled.
“Perfect.”
Rumble!!!
The Pacific split.
Waves dwarfing Goyang’s Red Sea surged to the atmosphere.
A path opened between them.
Straight line to Korea.
Japan lay in that path.
But…
They knew Shin Si-woo’s power better than anyone.
Seoul citizens had seen the Red Sea waves.
And the devils as huge as those waves.
As public anxiety grew, the Korean government responded swiftly.
Over time, such announcements vanished from public view.
Something far more overwhelming appeared.
Swoooosh———.
The vast Pacific.
The continent-sized ocean split neatly.
Nature’s upheaval seemed poised to spawn crises—
A massive cross floating amid the parted sea, with the black-skinned Jesus bound to it.
Flight Awakeners using Mobile Gates captured his movement live.
The world’s strongest EX-rank hunter’s actions warranted it.
The massive cross cleaved waves in a straight line.
Jesus arrived at the coast near Mt. Fuji in Japan.
The site of Lava Hell, where Japan suffered the most from gate incidents.
It skipped Japan’s islands entirely, landing in Korea’s East Sea.
Swoooosh—.
The East Coast waves parted left and right too.
Jesus’s cross moved between them.
Destination: Korean soil.
Jesus halted abruptly.
His gaze fixed on one spot.
And Shin Si-woo at the continent’s edge.
Their eyes met.
A tall black man approached, cleaving the sea from afar.
He drew the cross he rode and aimed it at him.
Then he said.
“FUCKING GOD DAMN EVIL.”
He saw him as a heinous demon.
But he was innocent.
Swish—.
He raised his precious baby sword, aiming at Jesus.
Ignoring it, Jesus spoke.
“Shin Si-woo, black hand of the world wielding heinous demons. I will purify you to save the world!”
A declaration of sorts.
In Jesus Christ’s name, he’d slay this devil.
All from petty misunderstanding.
“I don’t want to fight you. I’m no villain—”
As he began explaining—
Jesus cut him off.
“I, Jesus Christ, declare it so.”
Yes.
Like the Patriot toying with Korea.
Jesus was worse.
The strongest hunter enforcing his will on the world.
But who was he?
“Before that darkness, that evil grows further, I will erase you from this land.”
“You’ll see it’s a misunderstanding.”
No need for words.
His swords weren’t just Iris Luzvela.
Seeing would convince him.
Second Sword, Yuria Lanestia.
He called inwardly the holiest sword that saved the world.
“I shall obey the Sword Master’s will.”
⟨ Yuria Lanestia ⟩
The noble saint answered his call.
Thus, Second Sword Yuria Lanestia manifested.
Thud———.
The world slowed.
Distant golden light enveloped the baby sword.
The blade’s form began changing.
Swoooosh———.
A massive, radiant golden greatsword.
Golden wings sprouted gloriously from the hilt.
Holy script etched along the blade.
Overwhelming divine light spread.
All that gold illuminated the world in brilliance.
Transcendent.
Immense power flowed through the sword.
His new realization, Yuria’s unique sword pinnacle.
Flash!
You have equipped [The World’s Last Holy Emperor, Yuria Lanestia].
[Vow of the Pure One] confirmed.
[Vow Duration: Eternal Ages]
You have become the master of Infinite Divinity.
Second Sword Yuria Lanestia’s ‘Vow of the Pure One’ will eternally increase the Sword Master’s divine power.
Immeasurable divine power.
He felt like he owned the whole world.
Enveloped in that holy power, he gazed at Jesus.
“Oh, God!”
Jesus’s eyes widened in a cry of awe.