Chapter 361

Chapter 361. The Hunter and the Hunted (3)

Right after the Damned System began moving to find Agnotia, I returned to Earth.

The first thing I did was call Ranjo.

He announced with a voice that sounded both relieved and conflicted.

– I can’t use authority anymore.

It reconfirmed the disappearance of Meferoseta.

Of course, I made the call for another reason.

– Thank you for letting me know.

I wanted to express my gratitude for providing the information.

– Let’s say it’s the price for saving us.

Ranjo ended the call neatly.

Afterward, I received news about the puppets from Lily.

As I had guessed, the backstory of the puppet-making turned out to be the work of mages.

As for how to deal with them…

“In conclusion, it means there is no concrete solution yet, right?”

『… Yes, we are still discussing countermeasures, but nothing concrete has emerged. I’m sorry.』

“Let’s not apologize for something that’s no one’s fault.”

It was something I had already anticipated.

‘It’s not easy to search for an enemy without a detectable mana signature using only sight.’

However, I couldn’t just let them continue attacking the apostles scattered all over.

‘What should I do?’

Holding a new smartphone, I pondered, but I couldn’t come up with a brilliant solution either.

I ended up sighing and suggested putting at least minimal defenses in place.

“Still, let’s try installing thermal cameras around the apostles.”

『Excuse me?』

“Since they do have body heat.”

The idea was to have players compare video footage from the cameras with the results from detection magics.

Although I might not find all the hidden enemies.

At least, I would be able to detect those approaching the apostles.

『Oh, that’s a method!』

I had thought it was merely a desperate measure, but Lily’s response was quite favorable.

Perhaps she saw more potential in it than I did.

‘Over there, they have military equipment of a different caliber, so they might get better results than I would.’

It seemed right to leave this matter to Lily.

‘While they’re making the efforts, I can cut the supply.’

If I managed to eliminate Agnotia, I could at least prevent the production of additional puppets.

After discussing several methods, I ended the call with Lily.

Then I headed straight to a press conference.

A large-scale explosion had erupted in Russia.

The whole world was buzzing with discussions about the compensation and the casualties.

The number of casualties was staggering, almost unbearable to witness.

‘I don’t regret it.’

If it meant hunting Meferoseta, I wouldn’t hesitate to make the same choice.

As I increasingly abandoned my humanity in pursuit of my goals, my new self felt eerie, yet there was no turning back now.

I dealt with the incident dispassionately.

Through a press conference, I explained and apologized for the urgent battle that took place in the city center.

Afterward, I was relatively free of the issue of compensation.

In a wartime situation, individuals couldn’t be held personally responsible for all losses and damages.

The rebuilding of Moscow would be supported by the association.

With a heavier burden now weighing on my heart, I completed my tasks the next day.

I embarked on preparations for future hunts, starting with sparring.

“Ugh.”

At a sports gym owned by the Palao Guild located somewhere in Gyeonggi Province.

I was fully focused on sparring, quickly moving my body backward.

I had to dodge a sword that grazed past the point where my chin and neck met.

The unexpected, relentless attack left no chance for me to counter with my spear.

“Wasn’t that attack too sharp? Were you actually trying to cut my neck?”

“You were the one who asked to put forth their best effort to hone your skills.”

Rashar had been the one launching that fierce attack.

“Even if something goes wrong, you can just call Karlos’s apostle, so what’s the issue?”

“The issue is that guy won’t consider my injury as misfortune.”

“Then you should have built a little more goodwill with him over time.”

Clang, clang-clang!

In the empty gymnasium, with only us remaining, the harsh clashing of blades echoed continuously.

Pointing weapons at each other with Rashar felt like it had been ages.

Our relationship had been awkward for a while.

And there hadn’t been enough free time to adjust our schedules and spar.

Thanks to that, I was starkly reminded of a forgotten fact.

How deadly that sword was, pushing in at odd angles to target my chest!

“Grr!”

I quickly rotated my shoulder, changing the angle of my upper body, narrowly avoiding the sword that brushed past my armpit.

There was no way I could let myself be defeated like this.

With all my might, I swung the spearhead, which had been tilted downward after being blocked by Rashar’s sword, upward.

In response, Rashar moved lightly to the side to effortlessly dodge my attack.

It was a movement distinctly different from how I shifted my center of gravity to evade.

Rashar seemed to have quickly caught on to that flaw.

“Your footwork is lacking.”

“I’ve been flying aroung fighting here and there.”

I was strong. That was an indisputable objective fact no one in this world could deny.

If the players were lined up according to combat strength, I was certain I would stand at the front.

‘I have been hunting gods, so it’s no wonder.’

But compared to someone who walked a systematic elite path since childhood, I was still lacking in perfection.

This sparring session reminded me of that all too clearly.

Just then, a voice interrupted mine and Rashar’s sparring.

“A guy who couldn’t even grasp a grip, you at least make a human effort now.”

It was Shamel, who had been watching our spar.

‘I feel like I always heard comments about turning this bastard into a person.’

Having learned spear arts from her, her praise felt refreshing.

I’ve heard that even the new recruits at Palao Guild were harshly treated without exceptions.

Could I be the only one who received such praise from her teachings?

I glanced at Shamel with newfound appreciation.

In that brief moment, Horfe, who was sitting beside her and wagging his tail, asked.

“How bad was he?”

“Don’t even mention it, he was an idiot who used a spear like a sword.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

He was accompanying Shamel as the caretaker of Berta, who was napping in a corner of the gym.

This was because Berta had barged into my house from the morning, wanting to play with me.

Although the unintended spectator numbers increased, it didn’t pose any issues for the sparring.

To be honest, I was somewhat excited that Horfe joined.

After the spar with Rashar, I could also spar against him.

Since Horfe readily agreed, it promised to be an enjoyable time.

“Are you planning to keep resting?”

Momentarily distracted by other matters.

Rashar, who had attracted my attention, raised her sword and spoke again.

“If you are not diligent with the basics, you will surely regret it later.”

“How about teaching me attributes now?”

“… I suppose I could.”

As soon as those words left her lips, Rashar dashed in and relentlessly targeted my feet.

It was an intense pressure suggesting that if I didn’t want my feet to be pinned to the floor by the sword, I had to run until my soles were sweating.

“Hey, hey, go easy! I’ll get holes in my feet at this rate!”

“Instead of blabbering, you’d better move faster!”

My original intention had been training.

Yet, as I engaged in it, it ended up feeling like a date, making it quite enjoyable.

The expression on Rashar’s face wasn’t bad either.

No, saying it wasn’t bad was an understatement.

‘She looks genuinely delighted from every angle.’

I got to see Rashar smile after a long time.

It felt like we had cleared away the past resentment and grown closer, just like before.

Thanks to this, I could train with more joy than ever.

After Rashar, I sparred with Horfe, then Shamel.

The next day, it was Breche and Gretman, and then back to Rashar again.

Through repeated sparring, it took about a week to raise my combat sense.

《System Message》

《Agnotia has been found!》

“Where is she?”

《System Message》

《She seems to be monitoring the mages’ stronghold.》

I had a feeling I’d catch more than just the stalker.

* * *

The cradle constructed by the mages with utmost effort, an artificial island.

There, a crowd larger than initially anticipated when building the island in its early days, was bustling about.

This was because even the elite mages from the already collapsed second island had gathered there.

Thus, for a place filled with mages, it was quite noisy.

Daily clashes occurred among those who wanted to use the mage tower’s facilities.

Vecram, the person in total charge of the place and the mage tower owner of the Atar Empire, was sitting in his lab massaging his forehead.

What he was looking at was a report.

It was a report on Hyunwoo’s movements from traitors on Earth.

‘It’s obvious that his incarnation has no restrictions.’

According to what was written here, it was evident.

‘Is it possible because his physical body remains in the material world… Or does causality not mind this mutant?’

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t good news.

A god who could freely use authority without restrictions from causality.

Considering that the god was also the nemesis who killed his most precious disciple, it was even closer to tragic news.

Moreover, that god’s authority was excessively threatening.

A divinity nurtured solely for war was the largest obstacle standing in Vecram’s way.

But could he just give up because of this?

Vecram decided to target the physical limitations of Hyunwoo.

‘Even if he became a god, he only has a single body.’

While directly destroying a god might be impossible.

It should be relatively easy to attack the apostles who shared the god’s power.

Thus, they decided to mimic the games humans play on Earth, creating puppets to steal status.

In the process of doing so, they intended to eliminate the apostles from Bihar who had crossed over to Earth as well.

‘The god of Earth blocked access, making it impossible to retrieve status directly from Bihar’s apostles.’

Without contact, vecram could not recover the status, and the right to use authority was retained.

The shield of patience from Temoria.

The ability from Finelpenia to read the past.

The eye to foresee the future from Meferoseta.

All such beneficial authorities have smoothly transitioned to the Earth side.

Vecram clicked his tongue at this reminder.

‘All we’ve got on our side is a trivial god who can barely peek into the thoughts of demi-humans.’

It was because he ended up comparing their forces with the enemy’s forces again.

Thanks to Agnotia actively cooperating with them, they could procure status and divinity as research materials.

However, it caused trouble by constantly demanding its desired divinity.

The fact that the newly born enemy’s divinity was sturdier than expected could not be denied, indicating the unfavorable war situation.

It was evidence that there wasn’t even a decent garrison on Earth yet.

No matter what, they had to reverse the unfavorable war situation.

‘Without the apostles receiving that bastard’s power, expanding the front line would be a bit easier.’

Vecram believed that steady progress with the puppets would soon yield results.

Once they turned the war situation, he vowed to repay his long-standing grudge.

“This time, I’ll tear apart that worm-like being’s limbs and…”

Grinding his teeth, vecram murmured but couldn’t finish his words.

Suddenly, he looked out the window, drawn by a rapid increase in brightness.

Golden light filled the island entirely, spreading outwards.

“What… What is that?”

The countless glittering objects reflecting the bright dawn, what could they possibly be?

No sooner did he perceive the situation than golden rain began to fall.

Boom, boooom!

The sudden rain became ferocious.

So fierce that the external barrier, which was believed to be the sturdiest and most perfectly erected, crumbled disgracefully.

Vecram jumped up from his seat, horrified.

‘Even though it was made with Agnotia’s divinity!’

Despite the supreme confidence in its impregnability, the barrier fell helplessly.

And then, the golden rain, having pierced through the barrier, targeted the mage tower where Vecram was.

Scratch, scraaaatch!

Within the rain that began shredding the mage tower, vecram hastily began conjuring magic to survive.

Dodging the golden rain pouring down madly, he fled here and there, though briefly.

Soon after, the moment of chaos ended, and silence surrounded all.

“Cough, cough!”

Having escaped the danger, vecram covered his mouth with his long sleeve and expelled the dust.

As his vision cleared, the devastating sights around him came into view.

In that brief chaos, the grandly majestic mage tower collapsed pathetically.

The mages who failed to evade in time perished, impaled by the golden rain.

“T-This…”

With eyes wide, vecram finally got a good look at the golden objects embedded in the mages’ corpses.

Inside the glassy surfaces, electric shapes were moving noisily.

While considering their nature, he noticed.

Zap, zap.

Golden lightning began striking down from the sky.

At that moment, he realized it. That nemesis who wouldn’t be content even after he shredded it had willingly walked into his territory!

“Youu!”

Vecram shouted with raging anger as he stomped his foot, activating the runes spread all over the island.