Chapter 123
Chapter 123: Secret Circumstances (3)
'This is the first time I've experienced something like this.'
Kuuung!
Along with a heavy vibration, Erik was ejected out of the Divine Temple.
The sensation of being forcefully expelled from his own temple was somewhat mystical, but Erik's head throbbed at the message that appeared before his eyes.
Paaat!
[I'm... embarrassed!]
He had no idea what she was trying to do with such a statement...
The fact that the reason for kicking himself and Ruelle out of the temple was 'embarrassment'—wasn't that a major problem?
How could he deal with a problem caused by a subject incapable of correction?
"Sigh..."
Erik exhaled a sigh and looked upward.
"Uuuugh!"
He could see Ruelle falling through the open church ceiling.
Erik raised his Divine Power and caught her falling trajectory.
Srrk!
Ruelle descended smoothly, wrapped in Divine Power.
She landed gracefully on the tips of her feet.
Then she surveyed her surroundings.
"A church."
"Indeed."
A grand and magnificent three-story prayer hall came into clear view.
This was the spot where Erik had opened the door leading to the Divine Temple.
The two had returned there.
And the remaining questions.
"Why... why did I fall from the sky?"
"Probably..."
The answer was obvious.
"This damnable World Tree!"
As Ruelle steadied her startled chest, Erik posed a question.
"Do you remember what you saw earlier?"
"Ah! Yes. Those strange spaces."
Erik recalled the sight he had witnessed just before being ejected.
'A vast training ground-like structure had appeared above the clouds.'
Judging by the expansive flatland that had appeared above the clouds, it was suspected to be [Training Grounds].
Around its perimeter, he could even feel an isolated power similar to a [Guild Home].
'And the circular platform that appeared in the temple is probably a resurrection point.'
Additionally, something like circular platforms had appeared between the wide halls of the temple.
He wasn't sure about the detailed functions, but...
'It's probably something similar to the Summoner's Canyon well.'
Like in a famous AOS game, might the structure work where the dead resurrect on those circular platforms?
[Facility Completion Time: 47:45:24]
Though he made his own predictions, he wouldn't be able to confirm what the results would be until about two days had passed.
'I'm looking forward to it.'
The isolated [Training Grounds] and the [Resurrection Point] that seemed to hint at automatic resurrection.
Erik's heart trembled.
All of this would become a foundation for nurturing his forces and power.
"Hey! You can't do it that way!!!"
At that moment, Ruelle suddenly cried out.
Erik followed her gaze.
'Necromancer's summons.'
Skeletons were seen moving various materials here and there.
It seemed preparations for prayers were well underway.
'Did Kang Seo-hyun provide personnel support as well?'
He felt the value of assigning Kang Seo-hyun as the administrator of Earthtown.
The way she handled things so well without any special instructions was quite satisfactory.
"Erik, I should go check on it."
However, her handling didn't quite meet Ruelle's standards.
"This prayer gathering seems quite promising as well. I'll take my leave now."
"You said you were going to the Imperial Palace? Have a good trip!"
After that, Ruelle cried out
"Wait just a moment-!"
And called the line of skeletons to a halt.
Erik walked toward the Imperial Palace, leaving that sight behind.
'The fragments of the moon are vibrating...'
Even though they were placed in his inventory, he could feel the power of the moon.
It felt like something was calling to him.
Erik moved forward toward the Imperial Palace without hesitation, and clear purpose was evident in his footsteps.
'About forty days until the Labyrinth opens again.'
In the end, strengthening the temple as well.
Holding Ruelle's grand prayer gathering.
Everything converged to a single purpose.
'Growing power and forces.'
As he walked further, a clear message appeared before his eyes.
Tok tok!
[Cha Ye-rin: What are you doing?]
It was Ruelle.
The way she immediately used the messaging function was quite delightful.
It was worthwhile to have left a note telling the Master and Ruelle to bring the smartphone-exclusive possessor.
'They seem to be using it pretty well.'
Erik smiled softly.
Then he used the [Guild Chat] function linked to his faith management window.
'It feels incredibly nostalgic.'
Old memories came back vividly.
Messages, video calls—weren't these things he did often back on Earth?
[Erik: I've just arrived at the Imperial Palace.]
As he was smiling,
"Uh, brother. Why are you grinning like an idiot?"
Jang Du-sik appeared.
Erik found it strange to encounter Jang Du-sik at this exact moment.
So he tilted his head, and immediately an answer came.
"I sensed your aura from this direction, so I came by. Isn't it perfect timing?"
"Is that so? How is the Imperial Daughter?"
Erik admired Jang Du-sik's mystical perception and continued speaking.
"Well, you see. The old man said the old timer's condition wasn't very good. So my wife said I should do something instead. Ah! That old man also failed my tattoo procedure."
"What tattoo are you getting now?"
"Ah, she said this was 8th Circle magic, and with my regeneration, I wouldn't die, so she wanted to try it."
"And you failed that?"
"Those whiskers, those antennae were all droopy and couldn't work properly. It seemed like Rife was muttering something, and it seemed half out of her mind..."
Jang Du-sik, trailing off like that, asked Erik again.
"But what are you grinning about like that?"
"Ah."
Erik gave a light explanation about the smartphone.
"Back where I come from, they communicate like this."
"So what did the reply say?"
"That's..."
Erik stopped speaking.
'I gave an instant reply, but why is there no response?'
Erik recalled the Park Ji-hun days.
A height of 188 cm and refined features.
Overflowing capital and academic background—lacking nothing back then.
That excellent Park Ji-hun's life.
He compared then and now.
'Now I'm better off.'
His height exceeded 2 meters, and his features were not just refined but radiant.
Moreover, didn't he own land equivalent to a territory in the imperial capital?
With status, of course, and connections to match, wasn't he truly the perfect being?
'It's something that should never happen.'
Furthermore, his personality was even better than back then.
From Erik's perspective of always going straight forward without hesitation, not reading an instant reply even after one second was extreme rudeness.
However, Ruelle was equally excellent.
Wasn't she the idol of the Empire?
'It's impossible for someone like Ruelle to do that... Could it be?'
Erik concentrated his consciousness.
Just as he had eavesdropped on Kang Pung-ho's words, he connected a line of faith to Aaron Duke—Cha Ye-rin.
Then he heard the voices.
"Ji-na, Ye-rin. Why can't you just reply right away?"
"Sister Ruelle, that's called playing hard to get—you're not supposed to reply immediately!!!"
"W-well, yes. I've learned that too."
Ruelle was asking, and Kang Pung-ho and Cha Ye-rin were answering.
At this, Erik grabbed the back of his neck.
'Kang Pung-ho was originally male, and Cha Ye-rin never dated while she only worked on Earth, didn't she?'
Inexperienced people giving equally inadequate advice.
"Uh, Kang Ji-na wasn't a lifelong single? I heard that even in Pung-ho's time, she was alone."
Even Jang Du-sik, listening from the side, felt doubtful.
"That's right... Hm? But Du-sik, can you hear this?"
"Lately I've been noticing my body sparkling intensely, and something seems strange. But this isn't hallucinations—I'm really hearing this, right?"
Erik looked at Jang Du-sik.
A rough buzz cut hairstyle and a thug's appearance.
An uneven physique and a huge club in one hand.
'Divine Power all over his body...'
Yet above Jang Du-sik's dark skin, a golden barrier was distinctly visible.
Even his clothes had changed.
A hired thug now wearing ornate ceremonial robes.
"Your clothes..."
"Ah, my wife insisted I not dress like a thug, so she put these stuffy clothes on me."
"Du-sik, I'll make clothes fitting for you separately. Immediately throw away those strange ceremonial robes."
Jang Du-sik grinned and tore off the ornately decorated upper garment.
Then he questioned Erik again.
"But is this playing hard to get really true? No matter how much I think about it, you seemed like someone in the original world who would also go straight ahead without hesitation."
Jang Du-sik recalled old memories.
'In that hell, he was making a fuss about creating some luxury item and bringing it as a gift.'
It was Jang Du-sik's job to procure that material.
So from Du-sik's perspective, it was truly an absurd moment.
"Hmm, well. It was similar to now. But he absolutely hated any half-hearted pushing and pulling."
Acting suspiciously, delaying replies, or being slightly late to appointments—Erik hated all of these.
So he concentrated his consciousness along the connected line of faith.
'Is this an effect of Temple Level 2?'
Then it seemed possible to convey will.
Erik focused on that flow.
And thus, he issued his first divine revelation.
Its content was:
【If you try the playing hard to get thing one more time, everyone dies.】
It was a firm proclamation.
―Tok tok!
[Cha Ye-rin: Erik! You shouldn't eavesdrop like that!!]
[Erik: Most of what the possessors say is nonsense anyway, so don't worry too much about it.]
After replying like that, Jang Du-sik asked.
"But you didn't tell me not to play hard to get?"
Erik looked at Jang Du-sik for a long time.
'How do I explain this?'
The appearance of a buzz-cut thug with eyes wide as saucers was clearly visible.
"Du-sik, everyone has their own way. Playing hard to get suits you perfectly."
"Ooh, that's how it was?"
As Jang Du-sik became delighted, Erik's brow furrowed.
"What's wrong now?"
"Strange. My master still hasn't replied."
While exchanging messages with Ruelle, Erik had also sent a message to his master.
It was about inquiring how things were progressing with the old man problem.
"Didn't Sister Rife forget?"
"Du-sik, my master doesn't forget things—she just doesn't remember things that are annoying."
Jang Du-sik nodded as if he understood.
Then he added one more thing.
"But were you always communicating with two people at the same time like that?"
***
Hell has arrived.
In the lawless wasteland, a land filled with lava appeared.
Lucifer Morningstar. I am the master of this hell, the king of demons!!!
It was the power of Lucifer, descended after sacrificing 660,000 lives.
However, watching such a Lucifer, Erik had used the derisive term "a crazy middle school student patient."
The reason being:
"Master, that's a sloppy character who scraped together Lucifer's characteristics from all sorts of content."
He identified himself with Lucifer Morningstar, the protagonist of a famous American drama.
"He has dozens of pairs of black wings, wears a suit, and yet dares to mention the Seven Sins—he's completely an entertainment character."
"Erik, didn't I tell you not to call it entertainment?"
However, the problem was...
The power of this Lucifer matched that of a true great demon.
He had merely taken on the comic drama version of Lucifer, but his abilities each possessed power befitting a ruler of hell.
"Truly, this space deserves to be called hell."
Kwaaaang!!
Demons coming and going from hell endlessly captured living humans and turned them into other demons.
Hell fed on living people and gradually grew its body.
Moreover, Lucifer called himself the Seven Sins and even created the remaining Seven Sins beneath him—
I devour. By devouring, I shall end this terrible hunger.
The old man was the Gluttony of the Seven Sins Order born at that time.
He held numerous hostages while confronting Riferoze.
"Hmm-."
At that time, Riferoze discovered something strange.
The unusual appearance of Gluttony with not a single black line on his face.
"Curious. A failed experiment?"
His sense of self also seemed incomplete.
It was a point of incomprehension, but...
"Erik, he would be suitable as your opponent."
She marked the old man as an opponent for her disciple's training.
In front of that massive mass of flesh were plenty of living people.
"...The hostages are—"
"Erik, you must abandon such weakness."
Erik hesitated, looking at the people held by Gluttony.
"Erik, look. If instead of saving the hostages, you let that monster go, what would happen to this world?"
The master pressed her disciple forward.
"That creature would consume an entire village and grow its body. Thus, it would consume territories and eventually become a terrifying monster threatening an entire nation."
In this savage world, hostage situations were something that could never be compromised with.
"You know this well, don't you? There was even a time when a black mage you once freed destroyed an entire village."
Compromise with terrorists only leads to greater disasters.
This was a truth that didn't change even when the world had changed.
"Rather than that, kill it directly and atone. By killing twenty hostages, you save all humanity on the continent."
The master showed the way forward.
In the end, Erik raised his sword and approached something massive.
Then—
"Master, the hostages are moving to a different passage."
"Ho—. An instinct?"
The massive mass of flesh sent the hostages down a different path.
Of course, it only sent away the hostages.
I hungered. You are beings I may consume.
Seeing something more delicious, the creature drooled while looking at Erik.
Countless mouths appeared from the black mass, letting out horrible screams.
At this, the master commanded:
"Erik, go kill it."
The golden-haired little one rushed forward wielding a great sword.
The master watched the duel between the little one and the massive monster.
The little one was helplessly overwhelmed.
Yet he stubbornly rose and confronted it.
Looking at that, the master's eyes held deep smile lines.
The memories continued up to this point.
"Old man, thinking of that time, it's truly an amusing memory."
On the path heading toward the Styx River.
Lost in contemplation and maintaining silence throughout, Riferoze looked at the old man.
Trembling trembling trembling.
The old man was terrified.
'Kekeke—. Back then I destroyed the boss halfway...'
He too was recalling old memories.
The old man had tried to consume little Erik and actually destroyed him halfway.
'Even then, the boss was terrible.'
The little one fought the old man until he could no longer regenerate.
And in the end, he collapsed on the ground.
"Master—, I... I'm really dying!"
The little Erik pleaded to the master with tears.
"Haha, my disciple. You are truly weak."
As if she had been waiting for that moment, Riferoze appeared, drawing white Lightning.
With each flutter of her white hair, the old man was divided into dozens of pieces.
'And so I became this...'
It was a devastating defeat.
No, it was simply butchering.
And so he came to live the life of a servant, but the old man was actually satisfied with his current circumstances.
'Kekeke, as long as the boss gives me errands to do, I get three meals a day.'
Compared to living as a lackey of hell, living as a church's familiar was far better.
However, the problem was...
'That white pilgrim.'
Riferoze was an existence that could dispose of him at any time.
Moreover, she was smiling with the same eye smile from back then.
As the old man continued to tremble in fear, the snow-white girl tilted her head.
"Hmm. Wasn't that a pleasant memory of mine?"
The old man quickly responded.
"Kekeke. The day true salvation came to this old body that suffered from hunger throughout his life—how could it be a bad memory?"
"Yes, it's sincere."
Soon, a dark river appeared before the two.
Something called the Styx River that flowed from the Demon Realm.
"Stop here."
Riferoze halted the possessor who had been guiding the way.
Then she asked the old man:
"Before receiving your name back, is there anything you're curious about?"
"T-that... Why... Didn't Holy Saint Erik come?"
Certainly, when the old man's name and authority were sealed in the past, Erik had been there too.
To such a question, Riferoze gave a simple answer:
"Ah, I plan to kill you without hesitation if you fail. Since Erik seems to have become attached to you, I'm showing some consideration of my own."
At that chilling remark, the old man's body trembled..
Yet he was confident he would never lose his sense of self.
'May this peace and life without hunger last forever'
The old man too was a being who had received salvation.
To such an old man, Riferoze's words reached him:
"Gluttony, I return your name to you."
Thus, before the Lord Astia, the seal forged shall be released.