Chapter 272

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Mass-producing Supernaturals.

That was the Family’s plan.

The cause of conflict.

The origin of the Family’s birth.

The gap that distinguished Supernaturals from non-Supernaturals.

Superhumans and humans.

Supernaturals were superior to ordinary humans in every field.

Even the basic requirements were different. Their physical specifications were on a different dimension.

Unlike non-Supernaturals whose lives hung by a single bullet, firearms were not very dangerous to Supernaturals. Injuries that would be fatal to non-Supernaturals were reduced to minor or moderate injuries for Supernaturals.

Unlike non-Supernaturals who could barely live for 100 years, Supernaturals could easily live for over a century unless there were external factors. The God of War alone had lived for over 150 years.

They effortlessly caused miraculous phenomenons.

They violated the laws of physics and manifested illusions into reality.

This was why the Family fell into a sense of superiority.

They sincerely denigrated non-Supernaturals as an outdated form of humanity.

Conversely, from the perspective of non-Supernaturals, Supernaturals were an uncomfortable presence.

They were necessary because they protected them from monsters, but the power of Supernaturals was too far outside the norm. Each one was excessively powerful. They were like living bioweapons. If Supernaturals conspired and plotted a coup, was there any way to stop them? Could non-Supernaturals defeat Supernaturals?

The military was a force whose purpose was to protect the nation from external enemies.

However, there were no countries outside the United Nations. The many countries had been destroyed by monsters, and only the United Nations was the only existing human nation. The only external enemies were monsters, and only Supernaturals could fight them.

Nevertheless, the United Nations fostered a military.

It was under the pretext of being prepared for the worst. The reason non-Supernaturals could not fight monsters was because of ‘mental corruption’.

In other words, if ‘mental corruption’ could be resolved, non-Supernaturals could also fight monsters.

War dramatically advanced certain technologies. Weapons were the most representative example. Human technology was sufficiently applicable even to monsters.

Human weapons were improving day by day.

Even though there was hardly any opportunity to use them in the war against monsters.

The leaders of the United Nations poured the nation’s capabilities into the development of weapons.

Stronger firepower.

More powerful lethality.

More fierce destructive power.

To kill monsters.

To kill Supernaturals.

The United Nations’ military was not a group to deal with external enemies.

It was a national organization whose purpose was to keep Supernaturals in check.

Currently, the conflict did not escalate because there was a common enemy called ‘monsters from the otherworld’.

But if the war against monsters ever ended.

If the moment came when the need for Supernaturals disappeared.

The suppressed embers might blaze up.

No, it would definitely happen.

That’s why the Family decided.

To resolve the root cause of all this conflict.

Supernaturals and non-Supernaturals were at odds because they were different. They rebelled because there was a difference. They were jealous because they were superior, and they opposed each other because they were divided.

How could ideological conflicts be prevented?

How could ideological confrontations be prevented?

How could political disputes be prevented?

How could the fight between the majority and the minority be stopped?

The Family’s ‘Boss’ proposed a clear solution.

Grant supernatural abilities to non-Supernaturals.

Furthermore, evolve all of humanity into Supernaturals.

If that happened, the cause of conflict would disappear, and the inferior old humanity could be saved. We are prophets. We are pioneers who have reached utopia first. We have a duty as new humans to lead the old humanity.

Of course, sacrifices may be made in the process. It is a sacred sacrifice for the greater good. Do not begrudge death. If the greater good is achieved, monsters will no longer be enemies. The landscape of war will change. How can a great cause be achieved without shedding blood? Step over the corpses. Beyond that, the paradise we have longed for will be waiting.

“As if that’s possible.”

The God of War clicked his tongue and muttered.

The idea was not bad.

Yes, it wasn’t bad.

The problem was that it couldn’t be realized.

An ideal without even a sliver of possibility was nothing more than a delusion.

The Family’s cause was empty and loud, without substance.

“Supernatural ability is the grace of the four seasons.”

A blessing that the four seasons gave to humanity.

The key to becoming closer to God.

Supernaturals are saints chosen by God.

Therefore, there were originally not many Supernaturals. At most, there were only about 20 people. Supernatural abilities were granted to only a very small number of people.

Naturally, the saints chosen by the four seasons had no flaws in their character. Although there were differences between individuals, it meant that they did not abuse their abilities.

However, the situation took a new turn 150 years ago.

The sacrifice of the Blessed Saintess.

She created the Supernatural circulation system.

A miracle that only Lucille, who was loved by the four seasons, could perform.

From that day on, the number of Supernaturals increased exponentially.

“Lucille was able to do it because she sacrificed herself. Even then, she only made a small portion of humanity into Supernaturals. But to make all of humanity into Supernaturals?”

I can say it definitively.

The God of War declared without hesitation.

“Impossible.”

It is an unattainable dream.

It was not an ideal, but a fantasy.

It was such a vain and futile delusion that he couldn’t even laugh.

They were brave because they were ignorant, and foolish because they didn’t know.

After finishing the interrogation, the God of War returned to his office and slowly recalled his memories.

He pieced together the truths that the Family’s executive had revealed like a puzzle.

“They were secretly kidnapping civilians for experiments.”

They conducted experiments to evolve non-Supernaturals into Supernaturals.

They waited in advance at the place where the rift in space-time would open and attempted the kidnapping.

Even if missing people were reported, it was judged to be due to monsters, so suspicion could be avoided.

The ‘Boss’ told them the location and time when the rift in space-time would open.

The Family became the ‘Boss’ hands and feet and enthusiastically supplied ‘experimental subjects.’

“Crazy bastards.”

They threw civilians into experiments that could never be possible.

Precious lives were sacrificed meaninglessly.

I don’t like it.

The God of War genuinely despised the Family. He hated not only the Family but also all Supernaturals who abused their abilities.

Supernatural ability is the power to protect humanity. Their actions trampled on Lucille’s goodwill. They were belittling her sacrifice.

“…I don’t understand.”

The absurd delusion of making all of humanity into Supernaturals is something that psychopaths like the Family might try.

However, the Family’s ‘Boss’ was Belial.

There was no way a Devil God would make a plan to mass-produce Supernaturals.

Who would be stupid enough to increase their enemies voluntarily?

“There are two possibilities.”

The first was that Belial was not the Boss of the Family.

Rejected. All the circumstances pointed to the identity of the ‘Boss’. Most decisively, there was Lucia’s testimony. That day, she had an open-hearted conversation with him on the rooftop of the hospital. Lucia, who had been possessed by Belial, told him the information she had found out. Belial was definitely the Family’s ‘Boss’.

“Then the remaining possibility is one.”

The second was that everything was a smokescreen to use the Family.

Belial had no intention of mass-producing Supernaturals from the beginning.

It was just sweet talk to use the Family.

If they put forward the cause of ‘a brilliant future for Supernaturals’…

All the psychopaths in the Family would willingly obey.

Then what was Belial ultimately aiming for?

“Swallowing up the Family, who were remnants… was it because he needed organizational power? To penetrate deeply into human society? Kidnapping civilians must have been to achieve a goal… what is that goal?”

…Damn it, my head hurts.

The God of War frowned and scratched his head.

Even after 150 years, he should have gained experience.

No matter how much experience he gained, he never got used to using his head.

No, rather, he felt like his head was getting stiffer as time went by.

Could it be that his body was young but his mind was old?

Well, I have lived a long time.

‘Even in those days, Lucille and Michael were the ones who solved the troublesome problems.’

Iris (Amon) and I were in charge of the physical work.

In fact, most of the hardships could be solved with strength, so there was no need to use his head.

“…”

He pondered for a while, holding his head, but he still couldn’t find the answer. There were not enough clues. There was not enough paint to draw a big picture. He sighed deeply in frustration.

He looked down at the documents cluttering the desk, then slowly closed his eyelids. His vision was obscured, and the world was dyed in darkness.

A faint light flowed out.

Like the sun rising in the midday sky.

Golden radiance sparkled around the God of War.

“Hey, are you listening?”

He used his authority as a Chosen One.

The God of War asked the source, going against the line connected to him.

“Don’t you have any advice for me? You must know everything, right?”

The owners of the world are the four seasons.

The creator was the ‘Ancient One,’ but.

They reformed everything from one to ten, even the trivial laws that made up the world.

The four seasons were omniscient and omnipotent. At least, they were omniscient and omnipotent in their world. They would have grasped the truth of the incident. Even if the Devil Gods had neutralized the surveillance of the four seasons, they must have noticed the general situation.

[…]

[…]

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[…]

As always.

There was no answer this time either.

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

They maintained a cold and heavy silence.

“Tch, useless.”

I didn’t expect anything from the beginning.

That’s why I can’t like you guys.

He highly appreciated their restraint of the Devil Gods and prevention of the invasion. Even if they didn’t act directly, their existence alone was a deterrent. The Devil Gods’ offensive was passive because of the four seasons.

But other than that, they stood by and watched. They gave them weapons and pushed them to fight on their own. They didn’t interfere whether they died or not.

“You must have sensed that Baal is stirring, right? When the Devil Gods’ plan are complete, Baal will move. Do you guys have the confidence to stop Baal?”

Yoo-seong in his prime and his comrades who had reached the realm of transcendence barely managed to take him down with them.

Even that was close to a miracle.

The best result was reached after fate and coincidence overlapped.

The king of the Devil Gods. The absolute being of terror.

To be honest, the God of War was not confident in winning against Baal. If they fought again, he would definitely lose.

If Eugene was completed, there would be a chance of winning… but it was literally a chance. It did not guarantee a certain victory. Even if they won, it was clear that the world would be destroyed. The world was too fragile in front of the absolute being Baal. The strength of its existence could not withstand it.

“…Ha, whatever. What can I expect from you?”

He had felt it deeply for 150 years.

The four seasons should not be interpreted from a human perspective.

Humans and gods can never mix.

Their way of thinking was different, and their perspectives were different.

It would be more comfortable to talk to a wall.

“Huh?”

He withdrew the golden light and opened his closed eyes.

The vibration rang from the inside pocket of his coat.

The old-fashioned cell phone informed him that a text message had arrived.

How unusual.

Thinking that, the God of War took out his cell phone.

He owned several communication devices.

Most of them were used for official business.

He used them to communicate as the God of War.

But the cell phone vibrating now was the only exception.

It was a communication device used as Yoo-seong, not as the God of War. Naturally, the number of people who knew the number was very small. He could count them on his fingers. The fact that a text message had arrived on this cell phone meant…

“…No, it’s not.”

He looked at the screen of the outdated cell phone that was way past its prime. The God of War smiled bitterly as he confirmed the sender’s name. It wasn’t the name he had expected.

Eugene. That was the only name registered. He had hoped it would be five letters if possible.

Yoo-seong’s descendant.

The Chosen One of the later generations.

The new blade of the four seasons.

The disciple he had the highest expectations for.

It wasn’t the person he had expected, but the God of War had an interesting expression on his face.

This was the first time Eugene had sent a text message first.

Curious about what it said, he pressed the ‘Check’ button.

It wasn’t that long. The God of War quickly speed-read the contents of the text message. The expression gradually disappeared from his face, which had been filled with interest.

The God of War read all the contents of the text message and started reading it again from the beginning. But that didn’t change the contents of the text message.

“…”

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking on the door was heard.

When the God of War didn’t answer, the door slowly opened.

A small face peeked out from beyond the door.

“Y, you were here after all…1st Division Vice-Captain, Fiore…I, I brought the data you requested a little while ago, eueeeeeng?!”

The girl with the lavender hair was horrified when she saw the God of War’s face and slumped down.

Like a hamster in front of a cat, she trembled and let out screams like hik, hik.

“I, I, I’m so sorry?! W, w, was I too late after all?! H, how could it take 3, 30 minutes, I’m sorry! I’ll commit seppuku to apologize!?”

“…It’s nothing like that, Fiore.”

“Eueeeegh……C-commander, please bury my body in a sunny place and hold a memorial service for me once a month…”

“I said it’s nothing like that. Put that sword away.”

The God of War sighed lowly as he watched Fiore sob and draw her sword.

I shouldn’t be the one saying this since I appointed them, but why are the 1st division vice-captains so screwed up?

It doesn’t matter as long as they do their job well…

“I’m going out.”

“Y, yes?”

“Contact me immediately if anything happens.”

“A, yes! I understand! Then I don’t have to commit seppuku?”

“…Haa.”

“Y, y, you mean I still have to do it?! Hik, hiccup, euheong…”

It was a short life…

The God of War tapped his temples while looking at the tearful Fiore.

She’s competent when I’m not around… why does she become a moron when I’m around…

Well, whatever.

Let’s disappear quickly.

There was a mountain of work left, but he didn’t care about it now.

Since Fiore came, he could just pass it all on to her.

Lucia is in danger.

Yoo-seong bit his teeth so hard they shattered.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
When the younger sister is in danger, the older brother steps in!

She isn’t his real sister and he isn’t really her older brother (and not really in danger), but whatever!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
You gotta be an extra level of bad if the usually muscle headed character of the hero party troupe + the person who had as much knowledge as a baby before starting the journey were the ones who solved most of the political/non-combative issues.