Chapter 360

Chapter 360. The Hunter and the Hunted (2)

After absorbing the enormous status and divinity, I took a deep breath repeatedly.

This time, it was different from when I caught Karklein. It truly felt like I had hunted a bona fide god.

That sensation was quite satisfying, and thanks to the divine storehouse being replenished, I felt full.

Furthermore, as the battle ended, the tension dissipated, leaving my body somewhat lethargic.

Thanks to that, I had the leisure to look around. When I first set foot here, it was when the twins were being attacked.

The situation was so urgent that I hadn’t had the chance to properly look around.

Looking back now, even if I had the leisure back then, there probably wouldn’t have been much to see.

‘… Simply vast.’

Beyond the causality was a space where nothing could define existence.

Standing there, gazing down at the material world teeming with humans was a truly unique experience.

‘It resembles a dollhouse.’

The moment I understood why the presence of gods was so immense when they appeared. Thinking about how they squeezed their presence into that little place was quite unsightly.

‘It’s like adults wanting to join kids playing in a playground.’

At that moment, when I clicked my tongue and sighed, a familiar presence approached.

Though its physical form wasn’t visible, its presence was noticeable. This was definitely…

“System.”

I no longer needed a caller. Having achieved the status, I could meet the Damned System anytime I wished.

Our conversations would no longer be subject to any constraints. As proof, the Damned System immediately responded to my call.

《System Message》

《Kang Hyunwoo, I felt a familiar divine clash and came over… 》

The System seemed to ponder over what had happened here for a moment. Soon, it sent a message filled with a sense of pride over my growth.

《System Message》

《Your status has become sturdier. Congratulations.》

No doubt, it would be delighted at the prospect of the spear that protects it becoming sharper.

But that was beside the point; the System didn’t reveal itself to me.

It tried to communicate with me through a message window, even beyond the causality.

Narrowing my eyes at its behavior, I spoke.

“Will you come out nicely? Do I have to converse with text even after coming this far?”

I lightly complained, covering up the longstanding animosity that had accumulated over time.

I thought I had managed my emotions well. However, the response I received wasn’t very satisfying.

《System Message》

《Please forgive my rudeness. There are still many holes not yet sealed, and blocking them requires me not to move physically.》

I clicked my tongue internally and furrowed my brows slightly.

‘What a pity.’

I intended to punch the System’s face since I had no pressing matters this time.

‘No, if it can’t come, then I should go to it, right?’

I resolved to go and give just a single punch, no more, no less.

“Where is it? If I go, can I meet you directly?”

Regrettably, my efforts to extract the System’s location failed from the start.

《System Message》

《I cannot disclose that information.》

With the response not only firm but also swift, I openly frowned.

It felt as if it was determined to avoid meeting me.

‘Does this bastard know something and is trying to avoid it?’

I stared fixedly at the System window in my line of sight.

Even amidst the heavy silence, the System didn’t add another word. Instead, its presence felt peculiar, as if it was glancing around, pretending not to be noticed. I was sure.

‘It seems to be avoiding me, thinking it wouldn’t end well if we met.’

My lips twisted automatically.

‘So, you’re going to act like this?’

I neither threatened to kill it upon meeting nor did I yell to grab its collar.

Yet, to be treated like a potential criminal and avoided?

‘This is quite infuriating.’

Of course, I had impure and violent intentions of punching the System’s face, but it didn’t mean I had a grand intention of killing it.

To be precise, I couldn’t kill the System. Its death would equate to the world’s destruction.

If such a thing happened, it would be dangerous for me too. I would become a distorted and fallen god, losing my foundation.

Though it’s truly unpleasant, that bastard holds the lives of not just me but my family, colleagues, and acquaintances.

Therefore, killing it is something I can never do.

‘I just want to punch it once.’

But if it’s avoiding me just to avoid that punch? If there’s anything like a guilty punishment, this guy should be punished more severely.

I backed down for now, seeing how cautious the System was.

‘I’ll find out its location someday.’

And I’ll see its irritating face myself and land that strike. With that unresolved goal etched in my heart, I swept away the System window.

Today’s success of catching Meferoseta and absorbing its divinity was indeed excellent, but my aspiration didn’t end at merely increasing status and filling authority.

So, for the next step, I pondered momentarily.

I needed to summarize all the things I saw, heard, and thought before coming here.

After a long walk in contemplation, an extremely straightforward yet clear conclusion emerged.

‘There’s no end to reacting and blocking every move the enemies make.’

This type of defensive warfare merely maintains the status quo at best.

But what meaning is there in just enduring?

What I desire is an end to the war, complete and undeniable victory for Earth.

To achieve that, I cannot remain in a reactive, passive defense.

Prolonging such defensive warfare will only impoverish Earth. The material and human damages are already increasing exponentially.

Continuing this situation will only increase the damage in the long run.

‘We must choose to lose 500 people once over losing 10 people a hundred times.’

The fact was clear that we needed to take the initiative and lead the war.

‘To do that…’

Finishing my thought, I spoke once more.

“Am I the only one who thinks this won’t do?”

Convincing the System with my thoughts and drawing agreement shouldn’t be difficult. From the beginning, the System and I shared the same objective.

So, I spoke my mind candidly.

“We must decapitate the head as soon as possible.”

Bihar’s gods were indeed a potential threat, but weighing the actual threats to Earth, the two irregulars were more urgent.

“Only two remain, right? How’s their combat power? You would know since you’ve encountered them, right?”

Karklein I encountered was not a combatant. Indeed, it barely had any combat ability, being of the support type. Consequently, the hunting was easy…

There’s no guarantee the other two would be the same.

Hence, I asked the System about the enemies as a means to gather information, but the answer differed slightly from what I expected.

《System Message》

《I don’t have clear information to objectively quantify their combat power. I focused on blocking them rather than confronting them.》

《And while I do recognize the necessity of additional combat, I wish you wouldn’t rush. I still have the capacity to endure, so you can proceed with caution.》

“You mean to wait for a while, considering my skills aren’t significant yet?”

《System Message》

《Please do not deliberately interpret things negatively. I’m concerned for Kang Hyunwoo’s safety. It’s a situation where the risk of annihilation cannot be ruled out.》

My eyes chilled as I looked at the System window.

Knowing perfectly well I’ve been rolling through the dirtiest of battles, talking about safety?

‘Is it trying to buy time?’

Perhaps it’s afraid of losing the spear it obtained with great difficulty.

‘Unless it’s hiding something else.’

The System’s consistent reluctance to reveal itself could be related.

It was a suspicion that had sprouted unconsciously.

It stemmed from a deep-rooted animosity toward the System. While its goals were aligned with mine, I fundamentally dislike the System.

I tried hard to set aside emotions and think as objectively and rationally as possible.

‘Objectively, it has no reason to want to prolong the war.’

Is it really out of concern for me that it’s saying this?

A wry smile escaped at this assumption.

‘Give that concern to a dog.’

I stated with a firm expression that the System’s interference was unnecessary.

“If my skills are lacking, I should build more real experience, then.”

Heading into the fray recklessly with insufficient skills would indeed be arrogance.

Still, wouldn’t it be more productive to gain more experience and make further efforts rather than doing nothing?

‘I’ll spend time gaining more experience and trying harder.’

I’ve faced two divine beings.

‘One of them hardly amounted to 0.5, if assessed numerically.’

Though Meferoseta wasn’t particularly threatening in combat, it still served adequately to be deemed as experience.

The next hunt also should be set with adjusted risks.

“I’ll start by steadily catching non-combat gods and accumulate more experience. While doing that, devise a way to lure out those irregular beings.”

Even if it meant briefly letting them inside our realm, catching them sooner seemed the better option.

《System Message》

《But…》

The System’s lukewarm response thinned my gaze.

“If you’re genuinely worried about my safety saying that, just drop it.”

It’s far too late to use safety as a means to shield me. I’ve already tread a treacherous path to get here.

If the System wished to handle me with care, it shouldn’t have chosen me as the player.

Ignoring the System’s concern, I said.

“Is it only possible to access Bihar through a hole? In other words, is it impossible to find Bihar from here?”

Meferoseta walked all the way here where I am. But to hunt other gods, I would need to go to where they are.

I inquired, seeking means for potential methods, and the System replied with a slightly sullen tone.

《System Message》

《… It’s not impossible for gods to travel between dimensions.》

Likely, it became sullen due to ignoring its concern. Yet, I showed no interest whether the System got hurt or not.

When I urged it with a hardened expression, the System no longer dragged its words while speaking about concerns.

According to what it said. It wasn’t impossible for gods to move across dimensions.

In reality, Meferoseta also crossed dimensions in its materialized state. The standard-defiers were wreaking havoc to come over to Earth while settled in Bihar.

The System also roamed through Biharin, watching over me.

With agreements among indigenous gods watching over the dimensions, it was not impossible to approach other dimensions.

‘Rooting in a dimension is needed to sustain existence by obtaining necessary authority, just that there’s an issue.’

It’s not that their mobility and activity were particularly restricted.

However,

《System Message》

《Given the gate’s disappearance, finding Biharin directly would be too far. I cannot send Kang Hyunwoo alone.》

Surely, if searching alone here, it would be daunting.

This place was infinitely vast, making even a single step feel daunting.

‘In that case, going safely through a hole seems better.’

On the material realm of that side, exiting beyond causality would be the way.

“So can I entrust the search to you?”

《System Message》

《Pardon?》

“Why do you say pardon? Don’t tell me you’ll sit idly again, doing nothing?”

Even during the Karklein hunt, without the System’s help, it took longer.

‘Though I don’t know what it was up to at that time…’

As there was no time to waste, I simply moved independently. It didn’t mean I intended to undertake all remaining tasks alone.

“I’m doing the fighting, so should I also be expected to do the searching alone? Isn’t that too much to ask? Shouldn’t you at least assist in finding them?”

《System Message》

《You are absolutely right!》

《Given the spare capacity, I can actively support it.》

《However, which opponent do you wish to search for next?》

I looked down at the small material realm resembling a dollhouse as I smirked on one side of my lips.

If there’s someone I must proactively hunt first, then it’s clear.

“When I cross over to Bihar, it will be the one most likely to pounce, thinking it’s a great chance.”

《System Message》

Who is it that you are referring to?

“Do you genuinely not know? There’s someone who’s been eager to consume me for a long time.”

《System Message》

《!》

“Let’s hunt that Agnotia bitch first.”

Then, I could also resolve the issue with the puppets it likely had a hand in creating.

‘Currently unsure of her whereabouts, let alone how to lure her out.’

Meaning it was impossible to even set a trap.

So, what else could be done?

I would have to directly search for its location with the System’s help.

Damned System