36. Religious Gathering

This world had an oddly large number of cults.

Even when reading the novel, there were several episodes related to cults.

Like a perverted pastor who mastered hypnosis, a corrupt monk who placed curses through sorcery, or someone like the leader of the Youngsaenghwaranggyo cult we’re attacking now – a superhuman who could turn bodily fluids into drugs.

Fitting for a hunter universe, all the cult leaders were Awakened.

I guess you could say it’s a world where you can’t easily become a cult leader unless you have special abilities.

Well, you don’t even need to seek out gods when you can just illegally purchase demon summoning books or blood contracts online to curse your enemies and get whatever you want.

Rather than meaninglessly clinging to distant Jesus with impossible wishes, more people would stake their lives on immediate means right before their eyes.

Sure, it’s all illegal, but people who’ve lost their minds will do anything first and think later.

Anyway, I leaped onto the rooftop of a building where the cult leader lived entangled with people who might be his slaves or followers.

-Thud.

As I landed, I immediately rushed toward the man standing guard.

“Ugh!!! Guk!!!”

-Crack.

Before he could turn around, I grabbed his neck and twisted it with all my strength. Instantly, there was an unpleasant sound of vertebrae snapping as the man’s body collapsed.

Truly simple murder. I killed one without any resistance.

[15 Points Acquired]

Moreover, I gained 15 points. Unfortunately, it seems this guy wasn’t an Awakened.

If he had been, they wouldn’t have wasted manpower by stationing him as rooftop guard like this – they’d have sent him outside or made him a bodyguard like the others I killed earlier.

Too bad. I picked up the shotgun he’d been holding.

‘A shotgun…!!’

For some reason, I like this rough, old-school double-barreled shotgun that gives a tangible feel more than the tacticool, attachment-laden gay-looking submachine gun I got from killing those Pax Company mercenaries earlier.

So romantic.

‘Very nice.’

I searched the dead cultist’s pockets. A belt with about four red slug rounds popped out.

‘Sweet.’

I immediately strapped it to my waist.

With the rounds already loaded, that makes six shots total. Like gaining six more lives.

‘Pistol and shotgun…’

The shotgun had a sling so I could carry it. After slinging it over my shoulder, I searched his pockets again and pulled out a mysterious key and a bottle containing liquid.

‘This must be it.’

The cult leader’s saliva containing drug components.

Drinking this would probably make you go crazy. Disgusting. Imagine getting high from consuming some guy’s spit or semen.

“Bleh.”

I feel like vomiting. Revolting. Filthy. Disgusting.

‘Better to just kill them all.’

I put the bottle in my inventory in case I might need to use it on someone else later, then immediately targeted my next mark.

‘Two guys smoking over there. One bastard dozing by the rooftop door.’

Killing those three would mean all four rooftop sentries are dealt with.

‘First…’

To erase traces, I performed a corpse offering.

Note that if you don’t strip clothes, accessories or bags before offering, everything disappears along with the body without leaving traces, so you need to loot first. Otherwise, everything vanishes without a trace.

At least weapons dropped from hands don’t disappear, but anything worn or in pockets gets taken along.

‘Anyway, let’s take out that bastard first.’

I moved a chair near the rooftop door and activated the Exorcism Method on the dozing bastard.

A sentry sleeping on duty? This can’t be forgiven.

“Kill.”

Whoosh!!!

Instantly, the sleeping man’s head spun around grotesquely before tearing off.

Blood sprayed everywhere as the headless body convulsed before collapsing.

Thud-!

“Huh? Brother. Did you hear something over there?”

“Huh? Not sure.”

“No, I heard something strange near the door.”

“Hmm… let’s check it out.”

The guys smoking by the opposite railing chatting reacted to the sound of the body falling. They roughly stomped out their half-smoked cigarettes and approached the rooftop door. The decapitated corpse was oddly obscured from their view.

But as time passed, blood pooling on the floor gradually spread into their line of sight.

“Wh-what the…!”

“Blood..!!”

“W-we need to report this, brother!!”

“Sssss…!!!”

The cultist inhaling deeply.

Seeing his chest swell, he must be a sonic-type ability user with some kind of amplifying shout…

‘Pop.’

I threw Regina’s Blade with full force at his swollen chest.

-Booom!!!!

“Gah!!!”

The blade pierced through the Awakened’s pressurized chest, causing his upper body to burst like a balloon. Blood and flesh splattered onto the face of the guy standing beside him, who stumbled backward blindly as blood got in his eyes.

‘Now!’

I rushed at the guy frantically rubbing his eyes to clear his vision, channeling magic into a Stun Fist before smashing his face.

-Crunch!!!

His skull shattered instantly, gray brain matter splattering against the rooftop railing.

Thud.

“Whew.”

Had I been slightly slower, he would’ve sprayed bullets everywhere with his gun. The gunshots would’ve definitely drawn everyone to the rooftop.

Fighting a group of Awakened in an open area is extremely dangerous. It’s much easier to infiltrate stealthily and clean them out.

Anyway, I looted and offered the three corpses. Only their dropped weapons and bloodstains remained at the scene.

“Two pistols and a machete… Oh, this axe is nice.”

I really liked the tactical-looking axe dropped by the sleeping guy.

Looks sturdy and cool.

Machetes are good, but nothing beats an axe for splitting things.

I’ve always had some inexplicable romanticism about axes.

Anyway, now that I have this perfect head-splitting axe, farewell to the machete for now.

“Feels amazing in hand.”

I swung the axe through the air a few times to get familiar with it.

‘Now then…’

Time to go downstairs. But if I just go down and cause a commotion, all aggro will focus on me, so I need to divert attention elsewhere.

“Come forth.”

I consumed magic to summon five Shadow Shikigami. These guys will draw the cultists’ attention for me.

“Go downstairs and cause chaos. Break windows and make as much noise as possible.”

Now they’ll go down to the first floor and hold position near the entrance. Then the cultists inside will mistake the Shadow Shikigami for monsters and try to attack them. Meanwhile, I’ll take advantage of the distraction to kill more survivors.

Yes, this is the power of a summoner. Able to execute diversion tactics alone.

“Good.”

The Shadow Shikigami climbed down the walls toward the building entrance.

They seem much more versatile than Paper Shikigami.

While they can’t be controlled as precisely as Paper Shikigami, their ability to follow general commands makes them quite useful.

-Enemies!

Sounds of battle between the Shadow Shikigami and Youngsaenghwaranggyo members reached me. The Shadow Shikigami are weak, so they likely can’t properly fight even one Awakened.

They’re good for causing disturbances and drawing aggro, but expecting combat prowess is difficult since they burst like balloons if hit wrong.

“Then…”

I opened the rooftop door and entered the building.

Going down the stairs revealed numerous small solitary cells. What could be happening inside them?

‘It’s a five-story building. First floor has reception and counseling rooms, second and third floors are halls for religious activities, fourth floor is the leader’s private quarters and intensive counseling rooms with followers.’

The fifth floor has storage rooms and confession chambers.

There’s probably indoctrination and brainwashing cells, drug manufacturing rooms, and so-called “rest rooms” that are actually rape chambers.

‘Ah.’

Hiding on the stairs, I spotted a man who appeared to be a Youngsaenghwaranggyo member adjusting his belt as he exited a cell.

Seeing his sweaty state, he must have just raped some drugged woman inside.

‘As expected.’

The cells served multiple purposes.

I casually threw Regina’s Blade at the man wiping sweat from his forehead.

Whoosh-!!!!

“Gahk..!!!!”

The blade embedded precisely in his throat. Panicked by the sudden attack, he clutched his spurting neck.

His vocal cords must have ruptured because he couldn’t even scream properly, only making wet gurgling sounds as blood filled his throat.

He leaned against the wall with bloodied hands before collapsing to his knees.

At least he got to fuck before dying. A happy death, no?

‘Quickly clear all the rooms and head downstairs.’

After looting his keyring and offering the body, only bloodstains remained.

-Clank!

“Uuuh… ugh…”

Opening the cell door revealed a rotting bed and a drugged woman who’d lost her mind.

The room reeked of sweat, semen’s night-blooming flower scent, and the woman’s body odor.

“H-hey… please… get me… out of here…”

“I’ll get you out.”

I swung my axe at the drugged woman begging for help.

Crunch!

Her skull split open, blood pouring out.

Fresh blood joined the stains of irresponsible men’s semen and her own fluids on the filthy bed.

The room’s oppressive stench of lust and sex disappeared, replaced by the metallic tang of blood.

“Be saved.”

Regrettably, from my week of living here, this world is hell.

Moreover, there’s no salvation for those whose lives are ruined.

I had no choice but to grant her liberation through death.

Sounds noble, but in reality, it’s just slaughter for points.

No matter how you dress it up, the fact remains I killed her without guilt purely for my benefit.

‘But I can’t take responsibility for a drug-addicted woman.’

Why should I? She might even be pregnant – absolutely not.

If anything, she should thank me for freeing her through death.

“Sigh.”

After exhaling, I moved to the next room.

Clear the fifth floor first, then move down. Kill the cult leader, slaughter all the drugged victims.

As always, I won’t let a single one survive.

Kill them all and take everything. That was the plan from the start.