Chapter 165

Finding the location of the demonic sword wasn’t difficult.

The manner in which the criminal organizations of Ground Zero handled dangerous objects was already fully mapped inside my head.

It was an alleyway in Sector 7, where the sunlight barely reached throughout the day due to anomalies and the high walls.

A slum had formed there, populated by vagrants who didn’t belong to any criminal enterprise but didn’t possess Seoul citizenship either.

Among the makeshift houses constructed from wooden planks and torn fabric—

Even though it was broad daylight, a young middle schooler’s scream echoed alongside the sound of breaking bottles.

“You only brought back that much!? Don’t lie to me, that doesn’t even cover my liquor tab for today!”

“Calm down, Min-ji. Dad is doing his best. But the crackdowns are severe lately, and above all, we need to buy your mother’s medicine.”

“Shut up! What has that man ever done for me!?”

“Kyaack!”

The girl who swung a bottle at the balding man soon marched into the room and threw her body onto a filthy sofa.

Even upon looking at her mother, who was reduced to nothing but skin and bones on the floor, she didn’t blink an eye.

“Fuck, completely ruined my appetite for liquor…”

Directly after his daughter fell asleep, the middle-aged man began to pick up the shattered glass fragments with his bare hands.

In the middle of doing so, he noticed a shadow casting over the entrance—which was clumsily blocked with fabric—and raised his head.

A beaming, smiling face enveloped in a dark robe.

A tall man bearing the token of the Black Serpent’s Shedded on his chest, grotesquely twitching two of his ten fingers.

It was none other than me.

“Your daughter is quite the handful.”

“W-Who are you?”

“Oh, I am simply a public servant who was installing a stray cat feeding station near this vicinity. My name is Sae Hayan.”

“A government official…?”

Hearing my name, the man raised his guard significantly.

However, bypassing the helpless man, I stepped inside the house without hesitation.

The best place to store a demonic sword that drove its possessor into a violent frenzy.

Naturally, it was a squalid den like this, where destitute people who didn’t matter even if they died were gathered.

“Has your daughter always possessed such a fierce personality?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s just that I smell something distinct, you see. Is there a particular detail that comes to mind? Like receiving something from a criminal organization, perhaps.”

“Come to think of it…”

He explained that his only daughter—whom he treasured like a precious jewel—had changed into a completely different person just a few days ago.

Right after she brought an object wrapped in bloodstained cloth into the house following an outing.

Though she was the type to instantly exchange anything valuable for liquor, for some reason, she strictly insisted that this specific item be hidden beneath the floorboards and never pulled out under any circumstances.

It was glaringly obvious that she had picked up the demonic sword.

According to Mister Brown’s explanation, the demonic sword reacted to the malicious traits of a nearby possessor, multiplying its own power.

I lightly nudged various spots on the creaking floorboards with my foot.

Cautiously stepping into the main room to check beneath the sofa, a hollow thud echoed from an empty space below.

“So it began from that day—the day your kind daughter transformed into a completely different person.”

“That is correct. She used to do drugs in the past as well. Though she hasn’t managed to quit drinking yet, it seems a change of heart occurred after she picked up that sword.”

“Huh? Wait a minute.”

“What’s the matter?”

“You’re telling me this is her improved state?”

The exact moment I turned my head, the mother—who had been sprawled on the floor like a corpse—suddenly bolted upright.

Thrusting her arm beneath the floorboards where she had been lying, she pulled out a massive sword and swung it wildly.

“Kyaaaark!”

“M-Mom!?”

I assumed the possessor was the daughter, but it turned out to be the mother’s side.

Evidently, possessing the worst character among the three of them made her the chosen entity for the demonic sword.

Setting that aside, why has this mister been letting out those girlish screams since a moment ago?

It’s making me thoroughly uncomfortable just listening to it.

“Kiiieeek! Judgment!!”

Deploying the Tentacle of Armor from my sleeve to block the horizontal slash, a bone-fracturing ache rippled through me.

Befitting an object harboring a Star Scar, it seemed that even an ordinary civilian with zero combat ability could match a Middle Level Awakened once they grasped it.

Of course, hitting an armor as hard as steel with an untrained body meant the other side didn’t emerge unscathed either.

Fractures manifested across her shoulder and arm, instantly breaking her body down.

“M-Mom! Stop!”

“Execute judgment! Judgment!!”

Before the daughter rising from the sofa could lunge at the mother, I immediately cast a spell.

Third-rank White Magic, Water Current.

Air bubbles surged from beneath the cracked floorboards, and a torrent of water swallowed the interior of the house in an instant.

Naturally floating into the air, the mother tried to swing the demonic sword, but her posture was completely broken, rendering her unable to produce a proper strike.

“Time to work, everyone.”

Seizing the opening, I pulled out a newly obtained tentacle from my sleeve.

Though thin and dark, each strand gathered together to behave like a living school of fish; they were the collective tentacles that had cleared an ancient grudge in the Sea of Decay to rejoin me.

I hadn’t given it a name yet, but it would likely become the 101st strand.

Lightly subduing her with the strands that wrapped around the target in an instant, I successfully recovered the sword and spoke to the two individuals.

“It would be best for you to leave this place as soon as possible.”

“Cough, cough! W-Who on earth are you!?”

“Where are we supposed to go?”

“There is a small cult located in Sector 4. Look for a priest named Sebas there.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a small object and handed one to each of them.

Seeing the roaring global popularity of ‘New Monster Wars,’ the Bureau had benchmarked the game to create their own version: ‘New Special Unit Wars.’ These were models of the agents.

I didn’t harbor any questions as to why they released physical figures despite benchmarking a mobile game.

After all, projects pushed by the government always turned out exactly like this anyway.

“This is…?”

“It’s a Light Mage figure. If you show them this, they will let you into the cult temple.”

Rather, the single incomprehensible detail was that mine was the only one that hadn’t sold a single unit, remaining as dead stock.

While the ‘Giant of Bishkek,’ the ‘Spear of Thunder,’ and even Shim Ha-yul—the ‘Angel in White’ who barely had any weight in the main story—ranked decently on the popularity charts, why was this the case?

It stood in stark contrast to the popular Commanders, who had sold out long ago and were being traded with a premium on Lotus Root Market.

At any rate, thanks to that, not a single person on the street carried a Light Mage figure around, making it remarkably useful for proving my identity.

Driving the family of three outside Sector 7, I secured the demonic sword.

The exact moment my bare hand touched it directly instead of a tentacle, a remarkably profound yet heavy voice echoed.

『Face judgment.』

“Oh.”

『Face judgment.』

Perhaps because it was a Star Scar that once belonged to the Outer God of Judgment, communication through a Channel was possible, just like my dear Mala-nim.

Translating the contents packed into that short phrase, it essentially amounted to an order to preach eschatology and become the agent to execute judgment upon humanity.

So this was the reason the people who possessed the demonic sword ran wild.

I pretty much understood the cause now.

Bringing the demonic sword straight to the safe house would mark the end of the mission, but there was something to be done beforehand.

I contacted Cheon So-baek through my smartwatch.

『Did you find it?』

The moment the message sent, a clear, ringing voice drifted through the Channel.

The instant I relayed the coordinates, she materialized inside the house in a single bound via spatial transfer.

“Let me see. Is that the demonic sword?”

“Yes, but do not touch it. Your mind could get corrupted.”

“You want to keep this for your personal possession?”

“Not the whole thing.”

Wouldn’t about half be sufficient?

I could simply recover the remaining portion later through negotiations with Ha Yeri.

In truth, ever since Mala-nim vanished, I wasn’t certain if I should continue acting as the Apostle of the Outer God, but even so, this was bound to be better than letting the Black Serpent’s Shedded possess a Star Scar.

This time it wasn’t even a runaway; I wondered where on earth I should go to make inquiries.

Leaving my thoughts behind, I resolved to split the sword.

Though it clearly wasn’t an ordinary object, cutting it was simple.

Placing my fingers between the edge and the blade, I cast Singularity.

—Clang!

Along with a clear, crisp sound, the blade severed.

『Judg…』

『Ju-Judgment…』

『Ju, j-ju, ju-ju-ju…!』

Oh dear, it broke.

“What’s wrong?”

“It is nothing. Here.”

Perhaps because it had been split in half, the Outer God of Judgment could only utter the very first syllable.

Deciding to store the blade inside Digestion for the time being, I wrapped the main body in cloth and handed it to Cheon So-baek.

With this, the mission was effectively over.

All that remained was to escape safely.

“It will be fine if we claim the blade was already missing when we first discovered it.”

“My, then we’ll have to get our stories straight.”

“That is only natural, of course.”

“Hmm~”

Inside the dark wooden shack.

The moment I undone my disguise, Cheon So-baek’s jewel-like, ruby eyes gleamed flirtatiously.

“You clearly promised me~ that you would treat me well if I helped you.”

“Ahem, was what I did earlier insufficient?”

“T-That was excellent too, of course? But one can always desire more. The timing is absolutely perfect right now—there’s no one around, we have time to spare, and the… nuance fits perfectly too…”

To get our stories straight. Or perhaps, something else.

It was a dilemma.

I had clearly heard that a kiss was an act that sucked away the opponent’s soul, binding them to you in eternal servitude.

Even if I stretched the definitions generously and called our dynamic nothing more than playing house for now, if things deepened further from this point, we might truly fall profoundly into one another then.

“I’ll keep my eyes closed, so hurry up. Otherwise, I won’t let you leave.”

“Even so, we are in the middle of a mission. Shouldn’t we separate public duties from private matters?”

“What could possibly be dangerous here? We have two Commanders plus you. Virtually half of the Special Unit’s core strength is gathered right here, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Don’t make me wait any longer. Hurry.”

Placing one hand near her chest, she tilted her chin upward.

As I leaned down, her nervous, shallow breath brushed against my nose.

Sweeping over her slightly trembling eyelashes, right when I was about to cautiously draw closer—

“That won’t do.”

A nostalgic voice drifted from behind my back.

“Didn’t I teach you in the past that a kiss is an act of devouring the soul, so you must absolutely never do it carelessly?”

“…!?”

The direction was the entrance.

Swifter than turning around, I shoved Cheon So-baek away and launched my body straight into the main room.

Simultaneously pulling out the collective tentacles again, I cast as many Singularities as possible toward the coordinates where the voice originated.

Shortly after, accompanied by a sound that ripped the air apart as if a massive cluster of bombs had detonated, the entire house blew to absolute smithereens.

“My apologies. I suddenly heard a strange auditory hallucination. Let’s escape quickly for now, we can handle the kissing or whatever later…”

“…It hurts.”

“Huh?”

Cheon So-baek lay collapsed on the sofa, a contorted expression on her face.

Following her gaze, her waist was drenched in crimson.

The small hand that had been holding the demonic sword a moment ago was nowhere to be found, and in its place, only a mark that looked as if it had been bitten and severed by something remained.

Right when my mind was turning completely blank—

Amidst the swirling dust, the voice I assumed was an auditory hallucination echoed once more.

“The flesh of a fallen Outer God and the hand of a talented mage. Neither is a bad ingredient at all.”

Waist-length black hair and bright yellow pupils.

“But in front of a feast I’ve awaited for over ten years, it’s nothing more than a dull appetizer.”

Copious remnants of the meal she had consumed moments ago stained the mouth she wiped with a fingertip, tracing down a pattern modeled after serpent scales.

My childhood friend, whom I believed had died a long time ago.

“It’s been a while, Hayan. Have you been well?”

The fellow greeted me brightly, a smile fixed upon her face.