#116
“E-Elder. P-Park Jung-hoon has returned,” Noh Won-min reported nervously as he cautiously opened the door and entered.
Kim Tae-jun, who had been lost in thought in the dark room, muttered in a highly displeased voice, “He’s late.”
Even at this simple remark, Noh Won-min flinched. Seeing his pathetic state, Kim Tae-jun clicked his tongue openly.
After disposing of Secretary Kang, there wasn’t anyone suitable to keep as a close aide. Noh Won-min had a lot of information that Secretary Kang had taught him, so Kim Tae-jun had no choice but to keep him around and utilize him.
However, he was clearly not proper material and was unsatisfactory in every way. Even now, as he disappeared through the door, shaking his head anxiously, it was unclear when he might have an outburst and need to be discarded.
I might have to dispose of him sooner than expected.
Then Park Jung-hoon limped into the room. This one was also quite a sight to make one sigh.
To think I have to keep such useless people around.
“What’s with those injuries?”
“…”
“How foolish.”
To think he got into such a state from just a B-rank. Although Kim Tae-jun glared at him in disbelief, he didn’t harbor any other suspicions.
Unlike trash like Noh Won-min, Park Jung-hoon had accepted His power well, but for some reason, there were strange side effects.
Usually, those chosen by Him gain powerful abilities. However, unlike others, Park Jung-hoon’s skills had actually decreased compared to before. The fact that he received His choice in an abnormal Gate, and that it took an unusually long time for him to fully open his eyes, was different from other comrades.
So he must have been injured by a mere B-rank and failed to accomplish his goal. Surely it was all according to His will, but it didn’t sit well with Kim Tae-jun.
“Tsk.”
Having no choice, Kim Tae-jun got up and slowly approached one of the walls. Park Jung-hoon remained motionless by the door, showing no reaction. His expression, filled with joy from being chosen by the god, remained unchanged.
“Hah…”
Since ordinary potions wouldn’t be enough for him to move, he would need to be healed. Although it was a waste to use low-grade emblems on him, Park Jung-hoon still had some use left.
After some deliberation, Kim Tae-jun placed his hand on the wall he had approached. A black door appeared on what had seemed to be a blank wall.
Inside the black door, on shelves in the space, were hundreds of stone fragments emitting an eerie energy.
“Hmm.”
As the sweet energy bestowed by the great god flowed in, Kim Tae-jun’s expression changed to one of ecstasy. In this state, he savored the energy as he grasped the stone fragments one by one, gauging the appropriate amount for Park Jung-hoon from among the low-grade emblems sorted by size.
Meanwhile, a pool of blood had formed under one of Park Jung-hoon’s legs.
“I’ve returned, Elder,” a familiar voice reached Kim Tae-jun’s ears while he was neglecting Park Jung-hoon for quite some time.
“Hunter Lee Tae-jung. You’ve come!”
“Yes.”
The only person among his comrades who truly satisfied Kim Tae-jun had appeared.
Kim Tae-jun’s face, already contorted in ecstasy, became even more mask-like.
“Good. Did you find the item He bestowed?”
“Yes. I found it by following the indicated coordinates.”
The coordinates pointed to a small city in China. Lee Tae-jung, who had gone there under the guise of a vacation, seemed to have reaped a satisfactory harvest.
What he presented was an ordinary-looking dagger item.
[Dagger of the White Commander B]
Slightly increases stabbing power.
*The item has been exposed to death energy for a long time.
*It carries a curse.
―Every time you deal a critical hit to an opponent, there’s a 50% chance of causing bleeding to yourself.
“Did anyone notice?”
“No. I deliberately gave it to some subordinates to try, but no hunters newly opened their eyes.”
“I see.”
They often used the expression “opening their eyes” to refer to receiving His grace through the status window. It was truly like gaining a new perspective.
Kim Tae-jun concentrated and stared into space while holding the dagger.
“Ooh…!”
Eventually, the dagger’s status window distorted as if the signal was unstable, then returned to its original form.
The returned status window showed completely different text from before.
[Dagger of the God’s Chosen One A]
Greatly increases stabbing power.
*The item has been strongly exposed to His grace.
―Causes severe bleeding every time you wound an opponent.
―50% chance to cause decay every time you wound an opponent.
[■■■ ■God’s Blessing]
―Accumulate blood and offer it to the great god.
―Support one pillar of the grand plan.
Some items like this would only show their true text to the eyes of the chosen ones.
It was thanks to His grace that Kim Tae-jun, who wasn’t a hunter, could see the status window.
“Ah…! As expected, it will be a precious item to use.”
“Yes. It’s the last one.”
It was regrettable that there were no newly awakened individuals this time. They had carefully selected hunters from Heo Sang-yeon’s subordinates.
Kim Tae-jun was overwhelmed with emotion for a long time while holding the new emblem. The sacred energy overflowing from His holy relic disguised as an item was much stronger than the low-grade stone fragment emblems.
“Hm?”
At that moment, something strange caught Kim Tae-jun’s eye. It happened when his gaze, moving around while examining the holy relic, fell on Park Jung-hoon.
“What’s the matter, Elder?”
“Hmm…”
He approached Park Jung-hoon slowly with a puzzled expression. His suspicious gaze was directed precisely at the back of Park Jung-hoon’s neck.
“The sacred energy has dissipated a bit.”
“You mean the energy bestowed by Him?”
For some reason, the sacred energy had slightly faded from Park Jung-hoon’s nape to his head. Along with a faintly unpleasant smell.
“Then, shall we dispose of him as is?”
The fate of those who, like Noh Won-min or Secretary Kang, failed to open their eyes and were consumed by the power was always the same. They could only atone with death, dedicating themselves to Him.
However, if they properly opened their eyes, they could work towards His grand plan like himself or Lee Tae-jung. Kim Tae-jun observed Park Jung-hoon’s form, still straddling an ambiguous position, for a long time.
Finally, he reached a conclusion.
“No. It’s not to that extent. It’s strange though.”
It was odd, but given how unusual Park Jung-hoon’s case was, it wasn’t too surprising. As he handed the holy relic he was holding to Lee Tae-jung and examined it again, the faintly unpleasant smell he had noticed earlier was completely gone.
“Then we’ll keep watching him for now.”
“Let’s do that.”
Kim Tae-jun approached the black door he had opened earlier. He picked up an appropriately small emblem from there and returned to Park Jung-hoon.
Then he shoved the stone fragment into Park Jung-hoon’s injured thigh.
“Know that it’s an honor to have this much of an emblem invested in you.”
“Kuaaaaaah!”
Park Jung-hoon, who had been standing like a doll until now, finally collapsed with a scream. Twisting his entire body, he fell face-down and rolled in the blood he had spilled.
“Kuaaak!”
“What about the Japanese hunters?”
“I’ve finished disguising their departure from the country.”
Regardless of Park Jung-hoon writhing on the floor, Kim Tae-jun sat down in a chair with a calm expression.
“Instruct them to transport the last emblem.”
“Shall I go deliver it personally?”
“No. Let’s send Hunter Park Jung-hoon for that.”
“Yes. He has a decent family background, so he should be useful.”
Park Jung-hoon, who had been screaming, had now fainted and gone limp. His form sprawled on the floor looked just like a marionette with cut strings.
Kim Tae-jun, looking down at him coldly, ordered firmly.
“And once the transport is complete, dispose of all related individuals. The same goes for Hunter Park Jung-hoon if he fails to open his eyes.”
“Understood.”
Lee Tae-jung replied obediently. Seeing his reliable demeanor, Kim Tae-jun leaned back in his chair with a relieved expression.
His dim gaze fell on the back of Park Jung-hoon’s head again. Suddenly, his mind turned to Yoon Pa-ran, whom they had failed to deal with.
“By the way, I’m concerned about that hunter named Yoon Pa-ran.”
He had thought he might be a useful vessel, but he turned out to be an individual with unnecessarily high rebelliousness. He had planned to plant a thorn by Dan Joo-hyuk’s side, but it had become troublesome.
The orphanage issue that he was clinging to was the same. That land had only been a backup location, so Kim Tae-jun had neglected the issue until now. He had thought that a small orphanage would soon wither away.
However, unexpectedly, that land was becoming increasingly necessary. In many ways, it would have been great if he had known in advance that the place would be needed.
Yes. If only, I had known, in advance, it would have been, so good.
“Shall we deal with him immediately?”
“Hmm, well…”
At that moment, Lee Tae-jung interrupted Kim Tae-jun’s thoughts with an abrupt question. Kim Tae-jun, shaking off unnecessary thoughts, fell into deep contemplation again.
In any case, Yoon Pa-ran’s memory of encountering him would have been completely erased. As was usually the case with those exposed to the power of the great Him.
“By the way, aren’t you going to discuss the holy relic transport with them?”
Lee Tae-jung asked in a worried voice.
Kim Tae-jun merely snorted at his concern.
“They’re just dawdling too much. From now on, we’ll continue the grand plan on our own.”
“I see.”
At Lee Tae-jung’s concerned voice, Kim Tae-jun slowly rose.
From the black door he had left open earlier, His sacred energy was seeping out. This great energy that fanned the hope pooled in his chest.
Fully standing up, he declared with an expression full of ecstasy.
“All of this is for the greatly forgotten sacred god.”
“…For Him.”
Their discussion continued to be secretly buried in the sticky darkness thereafter.
As if someone was truly watching over them.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
