Oh, GOD! (2)
“Shin Si-woo... is he really a god?”
US President Bill Johnson.
He was sweating bullets trying to accommodate Jesus's every demand.
He'd held a press conference officially recognizing the second god to appear in the world, and on top of that, he'd made the absurd announcement that the President himself would declare South Korea a brother nation.
'Even damaging the dignity of great America...'
South Korea was a one-trick pony nation centered around the Patriot.
It was a tiny country incomparable to the United States.
'Even if Shin Si-woo has appeared—.'
No matter how divine a power he'd shown, it didn't erase the problem of those ferocious devils from before.
Besides, the President still couldn't shake his suspicion that Shin Si-woo was the black curtain behind it all.
“Jesus, Shin Si-woo is too suspicious. Every thread leads back to him!”
After indulging such outrageous demands, he at least deserved an answer.
But Jesus just clutched his cross, repeatedly murmuring “Oh, GOD!”
No matter how you looked at it, he was ignoring the President entirely, endlessly replaying footage of Shin Si-woo.
Bill Johnson sighed heavily.
Only then did Jesus finally speak.
“Bill, you know I don't die, right?”
Jesus.
There were countless reasons he was revered as a god across nations.
One of them was his immortality.
About eight years ago, the eternal snows of Alaska were torn apart, revealing the “Necropolis—Nest of the Undead.”
The liches born there fired rays of death, attempting to annihilate the world.
The undead, who had instantly erased half of Canada, invaded the US mainland.
—My people, weep not. For I, Jesus Christ, shall drive out those devils—.
At that time, Jesus faced the liches alone.
Rays of death disintegrated his body hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times.
'The immortal god Jesus.'
Yet Jesus kept resurrecting.
A single superhuman had slain an endless horde of undead.
As Jesus swung his cross, the liches were torn in half, and the undead-infested land was purified by holy power.
Their stronghold, the Necropolis—a structure larger than Washington—
—such a colossal structure vanished in Jesus's clap.
The world of bones leaking purple ghostly energy crumpled and disappeared from a single clap.
—Jesus Christ!!!
After that incident, Jesus became the official one true god of Catholicism and Christianity.
A possessor of overwhelming power beyond even what a Transcendent could express.
Simply put, a god.
There were no other words.
And such a Jesus said,
“Bill, I can't kill Shin Si-woo. No, 'can't' is the more accurate term.”
Jesus's tone and gaze shifted.
A serious voice and a stern expression.
He looked like a perfectly sane person.
“......Oh, my god!!!”
President Bill Johnson was stunned.
It was the first time he'd heard Jesus say he couldn't do something.
And to top it off, he'd revealed his true self...
'What the hell is Shin Si-woo's true nature—.'
It meant Shin Si-woo possessed power on that level.
“Look at the golden dome surrounding South Korea.”
The holy greatsword had vanished.
But the miracle it created remained.
“That's why it's a miracle. The trace of a god's descent lingers as an afterimage on the world.”
“......I see.”
Bill Johnson understood the supreme will of the heavens.
'A man awakened less than a month ago wielding that kind of power!'
Considering it had taken even the Jesus before him three years to fully reign as a true god—
“He might grow stronger than me.”
Shin Si-woo could become a monster beyond Jesus.
“But... is that okay?”
“I considered that and tried to kill him, but it was impossible. That sword, and Shin Si-woo, are on a different realm.”
Jesus was sharp-minded.
A being he couldn't kill, but with infinite growth potential.
That was Shin Si-woo.
In that case, staying on friendly terms was best.
Jesus returned to the main point.
“He's undoubtedly an immortal existence as well.”
Jesus pulled out a pink headband.
The cute, spiked band was Jesus's divine relic—the Crown of Thorns.
“Even with this, I can't kill Shin Si-woo.”
The living divine relic that activated the “Holy Day of Judgment.”
Not even an object powerful enough to suppress China's ambitions worked.
“That's why he's a brother.”
“No need to draw a blade against one who won't be my enemy. Remember that, Bill. Shin Si-woo's very existence will serve as another suppressant on China.”
“A—men.”
Leaving the praying President Bill Johnson behind, Jesus gazed at the distant sky.
Tears glistened at the corners of his eyes.
The meaning of those tears was reminiscence.
Memories of the harsh trials he'd endured.
'The days when I had to live a life of endless salvation as a man without desires...'
Jesus's omnipotence had bloomed from that.
Thus, he assumed Shin Si-woo, bearing the same divinity, had undergone similar ordeals.
Just one day had passed.
And South Korea was in an uproar.
“Hah... no wonder things felt easier to handle lately!”
Kang Mu-jin, the Chief Prosecutor suffering from kidney stones, gave me an odd look.
President Lee Seok-hyun beside him rubbed his bald spot.
My eyes naturally drifted there too...
“Huh?”
Faint fuzz had grown.
“A, a miracle from God!!!”
The President widened his eyes and shouted at me.
Indeed.
Sword 2 had vanished after 4 seconds, but the miracle I'd created, Sublime Heavenly Cradle, still enveloped all of South Korea.
Its duration was a whopping 30 days.
A superhuman technique and god-level skill prepared for when Sword 2, Yuria Lanestia, had to leave the Holy Kingdom.
“For 30 days, it boosts recovery for everyone inside the cradle and shields the entire nation! My God, is that what I think it is?”
“Yes. This is my fourth time explaining...”
I'd given a brief rundown of the skill, but they couldn't quite wrap their heads around it.
Only after a couple more similar questions could I get to the main point.
'There's a problem with Baby Sword.'
'It's increased again?'
Yuria's value had risen to 8.
Ever since acquiring Sword 2 Yuria's Infinite Divinity, holy power surged endlessly just from breathing...
That's probably the cause.
Because of that, Baby Sword's balance, which had held at 50:50, collapsed.
'Going to Japan in this unstable state worries me a bit.'
To acquire Baby Sword's “scabbard,” I need to deal with the root of the Red Sea—Gye Man-hwi, cult leader of the Gaecheonji Church.
He's surely tied to the Demon Worshipers.
Growing gates through human sacrifice is highly suspicious.
And there's another issue.
'A Korea without the Patriot.'
A week had already passed.
In that time, besides the Red Sea, I'd only handled one small Red Gate.
Not just my issue—the nation's gate management must be faltering too.
After much deliberation, my question was this.
“Gates... are they dangerous?”
The Patriot handles ten major gates a day. With Korea's hunter power, I doubt we can last even a week, let alone a month.
But the answer was completely different from my fears.
“South Korea is fine.”
“Si-woo, your growth comes first. We'll handle domestic issues.”
As if they'd rehearsed, both answered in unison.
'Lies.'
After using [2nd Sword, Yuria Lanestia], I'd gained a strange sense for discerning truth from lies.
Only after obtaining this power did I understand why Yuria executed people so indiscriminately.
'It wasn't mere defiance.'
“Did you kill him?”
“Ah, no!”
“Lies.”
In Raise a Sword, Yuria would ask one question, then execute all sinners.
Most sinners were couples, a minor detail, but they were probably all guilty.
'Living with a lie detector made it possible.'
Anyway, I heard the truth.
“Now you really feel like a true Transcendent, Si-woo.”
Chief Kang sighed deeply and broached the topic cautiously.
“Truth is, the gates are serious. The high-rank ones the Patriot handled—ten a day. Plugging them with A-ranks and S-ranks isn't cutting it.”
The Patriot works 24/6.
Every gate he handles is a high-rank major one.
And now, with the Patriot stuck in a [Black Gate] that appeared in Korea...
“Sorry to say this, but...”
Korea's hunters number about ten S-ranks, the rest A or below.
“Things got tighter when SS-rank Sword Emperor went missing in the Tower.”
The President added an explanation.
“We're already preparing full reserve force mobilization. With the military deployed, we can hold out ourselves. So—.”
Focus on my growth.
It's undeniable that right after awakening is the prime time for growth.
Besides, I'm an unprecedented Transcendent awakened in Korea.
“Just staying in this country is a huge help, Si-woo.”
“Even if we abandon territory, your growth is priority. Seol-ah's fluent in Japanese, so she'll support you well. Go worry-free.”
I pondered briefly.
'The scabbard matters, but—.'
Baby Sword's broken 50:50 golden balance concerned me more.
Like prioritizing a child's health over clothes, I decided to boost the evil ratio.
'Might even raise Iris's value.'
The [Ego Swords'] manifestation values.
They're not just random rewards.
Now I was certain.
[1st Sword, Reinhardt Euclid] grows through diligent training.
That's why it's stuck at 4.
I'd never focused on training.
'Yuria and Iris are different.'
Fed Iris the Red Sea's blood, and she grew.
Yuria grew from performing miracles and receiving the masses' praise, with infinite divinity surging from my flesh.
'1st Sword Reinhardt is the core, 2nd Yuria and 5th Iris balance each other.'
I planned to push [5th Sword, Iris Luzvela].
So I asked,
“Any special-grade gates with gruesome, scary stuff?”
The domain of 5th Sword, Iris Luzvela, quaked.
“Hahat! The Sword Lord desires ye.”
The little girl fluttered her blood-dress.
Blood scattered, and a devil appeared.
“Carry ye.”
A massive head on a tiny body.
The devil with crimson skin bowed before Iris.
The little girl mounted the devil's back, heading to [4th Sword Muratan]'s domain.
“May ye pass?”
“What of your promise to procure ore...? Hah! Such ore exists?”
The squat dwarf stroked his beard, eyeing Iris's devil.
“Ye's subject.”
“Did ye not promise ore?”
“Ye is no empress who abandons her subjects.”
“......How is entrusting ore to me abandonment?”
The dwarf asked, and Iris tilted her head.
Faintly, but having fed on blood, her insight pierced the dwarf.
“Thou art a sword, yet a blacksmith.”
“Indeed. I forge swords as a sword.”
“What becomes if thou hammerest ye's subject?”
“The firmest steel, reforged.”
In truth, devils were disposable to Iris.
Fed blood, they'd rebirth.
'Foolish.'
Iris laughed “Hahat!” and left one devil behind.
Reaching 3rd Sword's domain.
“......”
She proceeded straight to [2nd Sword, Yuria Lanestia]'s space.
Two figures were there.
“......Is the Sword Lord a philanderer?”
“Impossible! The Sword Lord cares not for man or woman!”
Iris narrowed her eyes at the foolish 1st and 2nd Swords.
“Insolent before ye.”
The little girl straightened proudly and shouted.
Only then did the old man and blonde saintess notice Iris.
“Devil, why dost thou stray from thy domain?”
1st Sword Reinhardt aimed his blade.
Iris laughed “Hahat!” and replied,
“Doth not the Sword Lord grant this girl a chance?”
From ye to this girl.
Iris gazed ecstatically at the sky.
The Sword Lord's world was visible.
He headed somewhere reeking of blood.
“......Were it not Baby Sword, thou wouldst not be summoned.”
Reinhardt glared sternly at Iris.
And Yuria—
“Thou too hast seen the world's end, hast thou not?”
“Indeed.”
—asked Iris.
“Hast thou learned some peculiar training like vows of chastity or eunuch heart techniques?”
An odd question.
“To question ye requires severing thy tongue. But ye is pleased, so exceptionally—”
Iris flashed a bewitching smile.
Even on a little girl's body and face, it evoked her prime's allure.
“—ye was bound by a special taboo: to be the continent's last human.”
At those words, 2nd Sword Yuria collapsed.
“Th-then... thou shared love with someone before being alone?”
“Hm, ye cared not for such then.”
“Didst thou or didst thou not! Answer quickly!!!”
“Thou obsessest strangely. Hm—”
Iris tilted her head.
Then said,
“Upon reflection, none. When ye's world ended, no humans remained.”