Cult Leader

I don’t know the exact time, but seeing the sun overhead, I guess it’s daytime. If it were night, I would have simply judged this to be a fake world created through the Cult Leader’s memories, looking out over the silent city.

But the realistic sight of cars passing in the distance and countless people walking busily to achieve their goals faintly reminded me of another life I had forgotten.

Is this world fake, or real?

My companions prepared for battle upon seeing someone who looked like an office worker approaching us, but they all looked bewildered as the office worker, with a tired face, didn’t even pay attention to us in our outfits different from modern times, and just slipped past us, keeping a distance.

“…I thought for sure they would attack us.”

Raelan, who had been glaring at the office worker’s back until the very end, ready to swing his staff at any moment, spoke as if he had realized something, watching the office worker disappear into the alley.

“Were they simply lives, mere decorations to embellish this world?”

I don’t know what the Cult Leader’s intentions are in decorating the 8th floor in this way. It could be to shake me up, or it could simply be because that’s what they wanted.

“Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. In the end, they’ll be blocking the stairs to the 9th floor and waiting for us. So, we just need to find the pillars like before.”

“No, we don’t need to find them.”

I turned my head towards Marmot at the immediate rebuttal, almost before I’d finished speaking.

“Why?”

“We’re already inside the pillar.”

“…?”

Marmot pointed forward with his staff to explain what he had said. I followed his gaze, but all I saw was an ordinary city. High-rise buildings, street trees, and people everywhere. But when I looked closely, the terrain seemed to be one step higher than where we were. Like a staircase. Only after reaching that thought could I understand Marmot’s words.

“You’re saying they made the city itself into stairs?”

“That’s right, I don’t know how they did it… they enlarged the stairs themselves to the size of a city. Is it related to space expansion magic? Anyway, if that’s the stairs, it’s only one step. I think another staircase will appear when we get there.”

Marmot’s prediction was spot on. When we headed towards the city Marmot pointed to, a path appeared leading to another city that had not been visible before. Thanks to that, we had to pass through the city with constant tension. Somewhere in the windows of the numerous concrete buildings, an enemy might be aiming at us. But no matter how far we walked, no enemy appeared.

Countless people passed us at the traffic lights, and we didn’t receive any attacks even in the narrow alley filled with air conditioners, cigarette butts, unused chairs, and desks. At this point, it was inevitable that our vigilance would gradually subside.

“The place where Ross-ssi lived is really unique, huh? So many tall buildings and pretty buildings. And why are there so many cafes? I can’t believe they built such a huge city with just human power, without the help of magic.”

Ellie seemed to like the scenery of the city I lived in. While staying alert to the surroundings in preparation for an enemy that might appear at any moment, she was busy turning her head this way and that like a meerkat, looking at the modern shops. The curious Ellie stared in wonder at something called a convenience store.

Even the capital, the best city on the continent, didn’t have a grocery store that was always open 24 hours a day, and since there were convenience stores in every alley like this, it was natural that Ellie was interested.

Fortunately, Raelan was only focused on fighting the Cult Leader, so he didn’t seem too impressed even when looking at the modern city. Marmot was just looking at it with slightly curious eyes. As for me, the familiar street scenes gradually brought back memories, and I suppressed the strange feeling that was trying to surface.

“That’s….”

When we came out of the alley, we saw roads and buildings stretching towards the sky on terrain as high as a mountain. In the middle of it, we saw a fortress wall that caught our attention. There was only one large gate with dancheong (traditional Korean decorative coloring) on the fortress wall. I felt like if we went inside, we would see statues holding large weapons on both sides.

“The gate is closed.”

Raelan’s words allowed us to guess where the Cult Leader was waiting.

*

After walking for a while, we finally arrived in front of the dancheong gate. It was still tightly closed as if blocking entry. There was only a large empty lot around it with no one around.

Even if the gate was closed, there were many ways to get over the fortress wall. If we could recognize the space coordinates behind the fortress wall through guiding magic, we could easily pass through even the sturdiest fortress wall. However, before using guiding magic, the tightly closed gate opened on its own.

“So, you’ve come to find your death. Roel’s younger brother, Ross-ssi.”

What appeared after opening the gate was the Vice-Cult Leader of the Chaos Church, Belker.

“How strange, Roel, the only one who would protect you, is nowhere to be seen.”

At Belker’s provocation, I silently materialized a shadow spear and aimed the tip at him. As if that was the answer, Belker forcibly raised one corner of his mouth and raised his hand. Soon, the other Compsions, who had been hiding, all revealed themselves behind Belker.

Except for Carterus of Annihilation, whom I was seeing for the first time, they were all familiar faces. I had met Ards of Chaos, Mesmer of Illusion, and Nero of Revelation before. But even though everyone was gathered, the Cult Leader was nowhere to be seen.

“Did the Cult Leader run away?”

No one was shaken by the cheeky provocation. The impatient Carterus showed a slight aura, but he didn’t step forward.

Belker, wearing a contemptuous smile, said.

“The Cult Leader-nim has always been waiting for you. Of course, they are here with us.”

“Then why don’t they show themselves in front of us?”

At my question, Belker grinned.

“Because you haven’t looked behind you at all.”

At those words, we turned our heads and discovered the person who was already with us at the very back. It was such a stealthy approach that we hadn’t noticed they were with us until the Vice-Cult Leader’s words. belatedly putting distance between ourselves and the Cult Leader, we aimed our staffs and spears at them.

The Cult Leader, whom we were facing for the first time, didn’t boast of their majesty with an excessive entrance. They were just with us since who knows when. Rather, that appearance made my skin tingle.

「Nice to meet you.」

I suddenly felt a physiological revulsion. I don’t know if it’s because of the wriggling mask that looks like a living creature, or because of the realization that it’s another me. The Cult Leader, wearing light purple fluttering clothes, revealed an ambiguous presence and raised one hand to us.

「How does it feel to meet the final boss? Extra.」

It bothered me that they started with such words.

“…Extra?”

「Or is that not it? Your role should be a disposable extra full of inferiority complex.」

“Haven’t you forgotten that you’re also the same Ross as me?”

At my polite question, the Cult Leader’s lips, revealed from under the mask, drew an arc.

「I am the only one among them.」

Having said that, the Cult Leader shifted their gaze and looked at Ellie. I could see their gazes tangling in the air. With their gaze fixed on Ellie’s face, the Cult Leader spoke.

「While walking and seeing the modern city on the way here, you must have felt it. That the Ross-ssi next to you is truly an outsider from another world.」

Marmot, who had not received my memories, flinched at the unexpected fact, but he seemed to be willing to continue helping me as per our contract anyway. Raelan, who had been quietly watching the situation, stepped forward and refuted the Cult Leader’s words.

“Are you trying to shake our hearts with facts we already know? I think it’s too shallow of a trick for a Cult Leader leading the Chaos Church.”

“Raelan, shut your mouth! You dare not fathom who they are!”

At Belker’s angry shout, Raelan shrugged his shoulders with a sly smile on his face.

“Yeah, I’d rather ask you guys. Do you still follow the being you call the Cult Leader knowing that they are an outsider from another world?”

The Compsions were silent at Raelan’s question. It wasn’t that they were speechless. They had already pledged absolute loyalty to the Cult Leader, so there was no reason to answer Raelan’s mockery.

「Hehe, they have long realized that they are in the position of fish trapped in a fish tank. They are sincerely helping me to live freely in the real world I created. Your move was shallow this time.」

Before Raelan could say anything in rebuttal, I spoke first.

“Cult Leader, you said you’ve been waiting for me for a long time. Then stop spouting nonsense and just get to the point, how about it?”

「The point… how unexpected. I thought you would have many questions you wanted to ask.」

“Sorry, but I’m a busy person. I’m not curious about your thoughts either. So, decide quickly. Either die here at our hands, or quietly watch us go to the 9th floor.”

The Cult Leader clicked their tongue and crossed their arms.

「Shall I bring her back to life?」

“…What?”

「I’m talking about Luna, whom you love.」

The moment those words ended, I was already swinging my spear.