Chapter 30: Cursed Village, Torris.

“Yeah, it should make good money.”

“Right? The third floor has Wraiths. Aren’t you curious about what’s on the fourth floor?”

If the third floor is filled with Wraiths, there might be something even more unique on the higher floors—something stronger and even more profitable.

Just selling the materials would bring in a huge fortune.

“But if you can handle that level on your own, why call us, saying you want all the relics? Is it to stop other hunters from barging in and to clear it quickly?”

Neko Cheonma seemed to be catching on.

“Yes, you’re right.”

“With the top guilds out of the picture, now’s the perfect opportunity.”

“That’s why Orc and someone else need to block the way.”

“Hmm, then I suppose I’ll step in.”

Oh, Neko Cheonma!

Ohhh!

She’s a force to be reckoned with, Neko-Cheonma wielding a laser sword made of energy!

“Do you think you can handle it?”

“Don’t underestimate the leader of the Cheonma Divine Sect. Since arriving here, I’ve gauged the level of the Korean hunters, and if I get serious, not a single one can match me.”

“Oh, I trust you.”

Alright, Neko Cheonma is settled, now for the Orc.

The Orc shifted uncomfortably under my stare, clearing his throat.

Was he really that reluctant to block the door?

I kept staring until the overweight Orc finally gave in.

“Sigh… Fine. But why me?”

“Can’t you tank?”

Orcs are naturally thick-built, so they always give off a tank vibe.

Even when we fought as enemies, his bulky body made him an excellent meat shield.

Orcs are a pretty major force among monsters too.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Then go guard the entrance to the fourth floor from the other hunters! Once we clear it, I’ll toss you some scraps from the loot.”

Clearing the fourth floor shouldn’t be too hard.

“Alright, alright. I’ll give it a shot.”

Now it’s time to get serious.

-Uh, Karina?

Yes?

-Remember I said I unintentionally became the Goddess of Death thanks to you, and ended up falling into corruption?

Did you?

-You really didn’t listen, huh? Anyway, I’ve got two pieces of bad news for you.

Isn’t it usually one good and one bad?

-Well, one could be considered good depending on how you look at it, but you might hate it.

And?

-First, your unwavering faith in me turned me into the Goddess of Death, and that might affect you.

And the second?

-This one’s bigger. The Hero’s party has crossed over to Earth. They’re far up north, but still.

What?

How did that happen?

We’re not about to have a reunion, are we?

-When I was still whole, I moved you back to Earth. But the Hero, using my power, crossed over as well.

So you’re saying you lost all your holy power to him?

Does that mean he’s a god now?

-No, it doesn’t. Unlike you, his body is still human. Eventually, that power will dissipate on its own. Still, thanks to one particularly zealous believer, I became a fallen deity.

It amounts to the same thing, doesn’t it?

Isn’t that dangerous?

If a god falls, wouldn’t my equipment be meaningless?

Or worse, would it also be affected by the corruption?

-No, it’s not like in those stories where my personality changes or anything. I’ve always been in charge of death.

So, what happens now?

-Nothing drastic, really. You’ll find out soon enough. The whole ‘falling’ concept is just how humans see it—it’s not like my personality…

Her words began to fade from my mind, reminding me of my high school days, listening to the near-death speeches of the principal during Monday assemblies.

In any case, her warnings didn’t seem important enough to dwell on, so I brushed them off.

Now, the real task—clearing the tower—begins.

*

As time passed after we entered the tower, I could feel more people following behind us.

There seemed to be more than before.

“They’re catching up, huh.”

“Could it be because we’re doing this in broad daylight?”

“That’s not it. They’re probably tracking the coordinates the Saintess marked and figured we’d enter sooner or later.”

There are always hunters chasing after the Tower of Destruction.

The monsters here drop excellent items, unlike your average ones, so there’s plenty of money to be made.

They’re not coming to take me down, though.

They think if they follow me in, they might snag something, expecting to pick up scraps.

As I’ve said before, I have no intention of sharing any loot.

That’s why I’ve recruited returning warriors with even a sliver of common ground.

“Alright, let’s open it.”

I inserted the key from Blaka into the keyhole on the fourth-floor door.

Bzzzzt…

The door to the fourth floor glowed yellow and slowly creaked open.

Just then, the hunters who had been tailing us revealed themselves.

“Let’s follow them in!”

I subtly signaled to Neko Cheonma and the Orc.

“Not a chance.”

“What? You guys? Get out of the way and stop blocking! Wait, one of you is a monster?”

“Where did this Orc come from?”

The overweight Orc really is being treated like a monster.

“Sorry, but from now on, the 4th floor is ours.”

“If you want to force your way through, you’ll have to fight me and prove your strength.”

Wow, impressive.

“So, we can take whatever we want as long as it’s not the relics, right?”

“Yes. Well, Ms. Elf, since you don’t want to get into trouble with your wife, feel free to grab as much as you can this time.”

“Thanks!”

She seems quite different from the guy I saw on the forums.

I guess using that kind of language in real life would just get you in trouble.

Her wife probably straightened her out, and if I asked him about it, she’d probably just hang her head in shame.

“You said the 3rd floor was Wraiths, right? So, what’s on the 4th?”

“Exactly. There’s nothing weak here, but… Ah.”

Upon reaching the 4th floor, a new place came into view.

I recognized it immediately—it looked like a movie set.

Whether it was modeled after it or had actually been brought here, I couldn’t tell.

But this place definitely resembled it.

“What’s wrong?”

“I know this place.”

“Where is it?”

“The Cursed Village, Torris.”

“Just hearing that name, it sounds like a place full of horrible monsters.”

She’s right.

It’s a place where only the worst kinds of monsters appear.

“Yes, during the Great Demon War, when the Demon King’s negotiations with humanity failed, he cursed Torris using the Four Heavenly Kings.”

When humanity began pushing back harder than expected, the Demon King changed his tactics.

Instead of trying to conquer the continent by force, he decided to scare humanity enough to secure some advantages.

Of course, the humans didn’t agree to this.

If they gave the Demon King even the slightest chance during a favorable war, who knows what could happen?

As a result, the Demon King was furious.

He summoned the Four Heavenly Kings and cursed the village where the Hero’s party had grown up.

“What kind of curse?”

“Torris was cursed with a plague.”

Torris wasn’t a big village, but it had escaped the Demon King’s invasions and was a place where people lived in harmony.

More importantly, it was the village where I, Karina, had started my life.

Despite some shady dealings within the village, like the presence of a secret church that tried to erase my memories as Park Si-woo, it was still a nice place.

The Demon King sent the Four Heavenly Kings, who cursed the village with disease.

Many people died from various illnesses—bodies rotted, melted, or had their skin peeled off.

In the worst cases, some villagers even transformed into monsters.

I still remember the woman next door who used to bake me bread; she became a succubus who drained men of their energy, even killing her own husband.

Others turned into grotesque creatures, known as the Diseased, who looked like their skin was melting off, as if covered in black slime.

“Graaah…”

Yeah, like the monster in front of me.

Honestly, I’m angry.

There’s nothing more disgusting than desecrating the dead.

It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

“Are these guys the Diseased? They look like slime people.”

Yeah, that’s how they appear to most people.

Unless you had witnessed the horrors yourself or were from the village, you wouldn’t know any better.

Typical of the Demon King to create something like this as part of his collection.

I still remember it clearly.

-It’s all because of you! Because you’re from this village, we’re all going to die!

-Save my mother!

-Because of you, our village is doomed!

Before they died, the villagers blamed me.

Was it really my fault?

Honestly, I don’t know.

When I was chosen as a Saintess, the villagers were happy.

So, at that time, I was just confused.

This was my hometown, the place where I grew up.

And yet, the people were being devoured by an unstoppable curse, either dying or turning into monsters.

But in the end, they resented me for it.

“Ugh, this is disgusting. I should’ve brought a spear.”

Cain clenched his fists, making a cracking sound.

“But they are strong.”

“Sylph!”

Elena summoned her wind spirit, Sylph.

It’s refreshing to see a summoner instead of a melee fighter.

Sylph sliced through the Diseased with her wind in an instant.

“Double Blow. Power Strike!”

Battle Mage Cain’s punches brought down more of the Diseased.

“What are you standing around for? Aren’t you going to fight? They’re coming from all directions!”

Elena called out as she used Sylph to cut down more of the Diseased.

She’s right—I can’t just stand here.

It wasn’t my fault to begin with.

I know that.

Knowing that, I once told those people who had turned into near-monsters as they resented me…

“I will grant you salvation.”

…as I swung my mace.

That was when everything really began.

From that point on, I showed no mercy to my enemies. I smashed their heads in.

Over and over again.

The Cursed Village of Torris was the place that awakened me in the Hero’s world.

An unknown energy surges through my body.

It’s an unpleasant but burning, intense feeling like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

I realize that back then, I sought it—I enjoyed delivering what I called “salvation” by killing those people.

That was when I might have recalled my life as Park Si-woo.

I couldn’t let the villagers who blamed me as they died just go.

Deep down, I already knew.

The goddess had let me stray from the path of the Holy Church a long time ago, yet she hadn’t intervened.

Maybe because the goddess herself had already fallen.

Now that I’ve accepted that, I feel lighter somehow.

My body and soul are slowly changing.

The holy power I once held is now being tainted by darkness.

Thanks to this Demon King who dug into my memories, I’ve finally come to realize it.

So, I’ll have to return the favor.

Nothing changes.

“I’ll smash more skulls. Just wait.”