981——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Hoo woo

I thought that maybe a saddle would have been nice since the black dragon was shaking violently beneath me. But, of course, the Thunder God Lineage martial arts had a technique for maintaining balance even in extreme situations, and Fire Eye Golden Spirit was already at the level of a master, so it wasn’t a big issue. As we approached the distance where the buildings of the capital were faintly visible, Black Dragon Dracula said.

[It’s dangerous to go in any further.]

“Looks that way.”

As I lit up my Fire Eye Golden Spirit, I noticed that if we went in just another hundred steps or so, there seemed to be a powerful detection barrier. It appeared that any enemy within that range would be detected, so if I carelessly entered, I could not avoid a confrontation with Emperor Ivan IV. Of course, I could likely win the fight, but my current goal was to find Krishna, so engaging in unnecessary battles wouldn’t benefit me at all.

‘Hmm… Is there no way I can meet Krishna without triggering that barrier? I’m sure he’s inside, without a doubt.’

I had indeed found Krishna.

Using the search function of the National Seal, I confirmed that he was definitely within the capital. The location was clear. However, Krishna was just sitting idle in a small building, and I couldn’t discern what he was doing.

‘The Eight Parts of the Divine have also become aware of Krishna’s presence in the capital of Arasa. I need to meet him before the others do…’

I hesitated and then asked the black dragon, “Dragon, do you know about Krishna?”

[I don’t know.]

Just in case, I asked, and of course, he didn’t know.

“Then let’s go back.”

There’s no point in hanging around here. If I can’t find a suitable method, it might be better to enlist the help of my strategists.

Paaat

I returned to the headquarters of the Eastern Orthodox Church and communicated with Zhuge Sa using the Suspicious Fishhook. After hearing the situation, Zhuge Sa said:

[Lend the black dragon to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Have them attack the capital of Arasa.]

[Attack the capital? But wouldn’t the Eastern Orthodox Church be unable to win against the forces of the Eight Parts of the Divine and Ivan?…]

[Why do you care? It’s none of your business, right? While their attention is diverted towards the allied forces of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Dracula, go meet Krishna. Didn’t you deliberately release the black dragon from its seal to do just that?]

[……]

[Oh, you seem uneasy again. Are you saying you can’t leave the Eastern Orthodox Church to suffer sacrifices?]

[It’s not a sacrifice. If I’m inciting the attack… ]

Zhuge Sa replied with a mocking tone.

[If you hadn’t interfered, the Eastern Orthodox Church would have been nothing more than puppets of Ivan IV, who couldn’t do anything. If you use those who were destined to die anyway charging headfirst into Moscow, what’s the problem?]

[But…]

[Well, right now, I don’t see a better bait than this. If I were to suggest another strategy, it would be to gather the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Dharma Protectors to engage in a full battle against the Eight Parts of the Divine. But you probably know that’s just nonsense.]

[Hmm… Now that I know Krishna’s location, how about I just leave him alone for now? He’s not doing anything anyway.]

[… Are you serious? Knowing what powerful early variables like Krishna are planning makes all the difference for your early strategy. In a way, you have to contact Krishna even if it means risking death. This is not a choice; it’s a necessity!]

Zhuge Sa sighed as if he found this absurd.

[Damn… You know that while preaching about conscience, you always dump that burden on us, right? I don’t mind accumulating evil deeds, but if you weren’t a reborn person, the other strategists would have killed you long ago with their schemes.]

[Ugh…]

[Fine. It’s not the best method, but if that’s the case, teach me the next option or a compromise.]

I contacted the Archbishop Belov of the Eastern Orthodox Church, handing over Black Dragon Dracula and said, “He will be a great help for your attack on the capital, Moscow.”

“Oh… Eastern prodigy, thank you so much!”

“This can’t end with just thanks; I have two conditions.”

“Two conditions?”

“First, give me part of your best sacred relic, the Ten Commandments Tablet. And I also want the Holy Lance that’s stored away.”

“……”

“And secondly, I want to meet the Archbishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church.”

“You’re asking for too much!! I could agree to one of those, but anything more than that…”

Crack!

I cracked my knuckles and glared at Belov.

“I broke the seal on that black dragon and made it submit to my power. If you don’t meet my demands, I’m not afraid of what may come next.”

“Wah… Is that a threat?”

“My request isn’t unreasonable, is it? You have it anyway and aren’t using it properly. There’s hardly anyone worthy of using that treasure. But if you give it to me, I’ll ensure it’s used well.”

“But…”

“Agreement!!”

I unleashed a powerful Lion’s Roar fueled by the Intent Heavenly Pillar. Then, not only the dozen knights guarding Belov but also the thousands of soldiers surrounding us became wide-eyed and fainted in an instant. A couple of extraordinary knights managed to stay conscious, but even they were barely able to hold themselves steady with their bastard swords, having lost their fighting spirit.

“No way…”

Belov surprisingly held up well. As he was taken aback, I said to him, “You’re too weak. If I had bad intentions, you would already have been the lost souls of this mountain region.”

“I know the difference in power. But this level of intimidation is against the way of things!”

“Isn’t it a great favor just to have broken the seal on the black dragon and put it under my control? I don’t think my conditions are excessive. Now, respond to my demands.”

“…I accept.”

“Alright.”

I said to Belov, “Also, give me the letter addressed to Catherine de Medici. You have to deliver it anyway.”

“H, how do you know…?”

“I know everything. I can’t be bothered to explain, so just hand it over. I’ll make sure it gets to the Queen Mother.”

“Ugh… Arrogant fool!”

Although Belov looked terrified, he had no choice but to comply with my demands. I took the piece of the Ten Commandments Tablet and the Holy Lance, placing them in my Wooden Armor, and received the letter from Belov. Then, Belov took out his own sacred icon from within his robes and began to recite a spell.

“The Archbishop of our Orthodox Church is not human. If you act rudely as you did to me, it will not end well for you!”

“Not human? Are you saying he’s an otherworldly being?”

“Not quite. But you seem to know enough about the inner world, so you’ll understand when you meet him.”

Paaat

Finally, a ‘door’ opened that would lead me to see the Archbishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church. It seemed that since the Archbishop was a rank above the ordinary archbishop, he could open a spatial portal. I recalled Zhuge Sa’s words.

[First, receive all the sacred relics and the Holy Lance. They’ll serve as offerings and weapons. Make sure to mention you also want to meet the Archbishop while delivering the letter.]

[Why the letter and the Archbishop?]

[You don’t even know what’s in that letter, do you? Sneakily bring it here and have it interpreted.]

[Ah, I see.]

[And the reason for meeting the Archbishop is that he is practically the pope controlling the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is one of the greatest religious leaders of the West. Plus, the skills of the monks under him are no small matter, so he would be worth meeting for your future global ventures.]

[What about meeting Krishna?]

[Belov will ultimately be his subordinate. Make sure to get permission from the Archbishop regarding Belov’s life and death. That way, you’ll ease your guilt to some degree.]

That was in line with Zhuge Sa’s plan. I stepped through the ‘door’ and found myself in a palace filled with enormous white marble pillars. As I walked in with Belov, I suddenly mumbled.

“This is not reality. Is it a subspace?”

“Impressive. How did you figure that out?”

“I have a good [eye].”

The Fire Eye Golden Spirit was quickly aware of the discomfort between reality and subspace. Belov, impressed, then replied, “You find it hard to dwell in reality. That’s why the Archbishop has been living in an independent realm since two thousand five hundred years ago.”

“What exactly is going on here?”

“You’ll have to meet the Archbishop directly… My guidance ends here.”

Paaat

Belov vanished before a door pouring out golden light. I boldly stepped inside, only to be startled by what I saw.

“……!!”

It’s massive!!

‘W-What is that…’

It resembled the Dragon of the Apocalypse I had seen in Yeodong-bin’s memories!! When I finally got a clear view, it was as if an entire continent was spread out before me, but as I moved a little closer, I saw the long, enormous form of some unknown beast. I’d seen gigantic beasts before, but they were all mythical beings like the dragon or giant spider, so I never expected to encounter such an entity in front of an ordinary Archbishop.

‘Is that… a whale? A dragon…?’

It was a bizarre sight that was hard to classify.

Whee

Suddenly, with a sound like whistling, twelve massive light beams as bright as the sun rose and swirled around the creature. A mysterious breeze enveloped the entity, flowing like ripples, and that gigantic current felt like the spatial universe. Since it was a being on a scale impossible for humans to compare to, I was momentarily captivated by its magnificence.

I straightened my posture and said, “Hey!! Are you the Archbishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church?”

As I spoke, the being responded mentally, with a hint of surprise in its voice.

[Oh… your mental strength doesn’t affect me at all… I’ve lived long, but I’ve never seen a human like you… Indeed, I am the Archbishop of the Eastern Orthodox Church.]

“My name is Baek Woong!! What’s yours?”

[The name given to me by the great being who created me is “He Who Draws Forth Life”… In the realm of humans, I am known as Behemoth…]

“So you’re Behemoth.”

I addressed the Archbishop Behemoth, saying, “Behemoth! You don’t seem human. Are you perhaps an [Old Ruler]?”

Behemoth’s colossal body shuddered as it laughed.

[… Hahaha… you’re quite the amusing human… Do I seem like an [Old Ruler] to you…? What an interesting enigma…]

“Uh… No?”

[Those able to see me without any power intact… normally would never confuse me with an [Old Ruler]… because they are beings of chaos… and I am a being derived from the axis of order…]

“…….!!”

[I am a Divine Beast of Order… a remnant left by the great being for the salvation of mortals… I am Behemoth.]

Oh, now that I think about it, I don’t sense any magical power coming from him. I can certainly detect ominous divine energy, but there’s no trace of the evil power that comes from an [Old Ruler] or an otherworldly being. Undeniably, the sheer size would intimidate a mortal, but I quickly realized there could be no similarity between such a being and an [Old Ruler].

‘He’s a transcendent being from the Order faction.’

Understanding the situation, I asked, “So are you an Ancient God?”

[No… the one who created me is on the level of an Ancient God… I’m just a beast created by that being…]

“I see… But why do you act as the head of a religious organization? Someone of your stature wouldn’t care about the human world.”

Behemoth, who modestly claimed to be a divine beast, still oozed tremendous power. A divine being of such a size would easily overshadow the human realm. Behemoth then replied, [The Divine Beings of Order can no longer intervene in this chaotic power-ridden land… so they all left… The law of the universe being overrun by chaos is one reason why… However, my master, feeling pity for mortals… created me, “He Who Draws Forth Life” to bring them at least a minimal salvation…]

“……”

[But due to the Law of Cause and Effect… I can hardly go out into the real world… Therefore, I united my strength with the guardians of the West to grant power to those who believe in the Deity… and founded the Eastern Orthodox Church to prevent the Otherworldly Races from running rampant in the northern continent.]

“So you’re the protector of the North.”

[You could say that…]

In other words, Behemoth, the divine beast left behind by the Ancient God for the salvation of mortals, was the leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

‘If he’s constrained by the Law of Cause and Effect, it seems unlikely I’ll receive his direct help…’

After pondering, I spoke to Behemoth. “Behemoth, do you know that the Eight Parts of the Divine are occupying the capital?”

[Of course I know…]

“Then why are you not informing your subordinate Belov or the others?”

[… I already told Belov that there is a powerful divine being behind the scenes, instructing him to give up on reclaiming the capital. However, it seems that his affection for the Russian Empire puts him in a position where he can’t give up.]

“Hmm, is that Belov’s stubbornness?”

[He is the National Master of the Russian Empire after all… He has watched over Ivan, who fell to the path of demons since childhood, and believes it is his responsibility.]

It was like trying to smash a rock with an egg, wasn’t it?

“If you were to personally summon your spirit to fight, you could probably defeat the Eight Parts of the Divine, right?”

[That could be true… but the Eight Parts of the Divine are relatively less bound by the Law of Cause and Effect while I am under all constraints. Neglecting preparations for the end while targeting the Eight Parts of the Divine would be counterproductive.]

“……”

[Defeating the Demon King of the human realm called the Eight Parts of the Divine won’t delay the apocalypse… from my perspective, I can’t afford to overlook them.]

I decided it was time to get to the point.

“Behemoth. Do you know Krishna? I came here because I actually know he is in the capital of Arasa.”

[Krishna…!! Is he here?]

“Do you know him?”

[He… um….!!]

Behemoth trembled as if greatly surprised. Then he spoke, [Why are you searching for Lord Krishna?]

“He has imparted the understanding of martial arts to mortals in an attempt to keep me, the emperor of the Central Plains, in check. I want to know his true intentions.”

[I see… Baek Woong, I understand why you’ve come this far… You don’t want to reveal yourself to the world, and you’re using our Eastern Orthodox Church to divert attention, aren’t you… ]

“……”

Ugh, how does he know?! How could he figure it out so quickly…

Finally, Behemoth said, [Alright… I will allow myself to be used… I will have Belov launch an attack on the capital. In the meantime, you can meet with Lord Krishna.]

Just as Zhuge Sa had laid out the plan. No, it felt like Behemoth had read through Zhuge Sa’s strategy and chose to extend a helping hand. It felt as if the two strategists were competing against each other with me in the middle.

“… Is that really okay? Belov and the others might die.”

[I would use my power meant for the ‘end’ to lend it to Belov… that way, I could buy you some time.]

“Hmm.”

[I warned Belov already… to seek a chance to die… if he dies while doing what he wants, it’ll be his burden…]

“What’s the reason you’re helping me?”

[I judged it would be better to help someone seeking to meet Lord Krishna.]

I understood that Behemoth was a cold being. For reasons unknown, he had decided to cooperate with me, and for that purpose, he wouldn’t particularly care about Belov’s sacrifice.

“Behemoth. And me and you…”

[I refuse to forge a bond with you. I don’t want to become your summoned beast.]

“……”

Super perceptive!

‘Tch. If I could make a summoning contract with this guy, my power would skyrocket…’

Though he claimed to be a divine beast, I had a feeling he possessed strength comparable to that of a [Ruler]. I said to Behemoth, “Why? This might sound silly, but there are hardly any who could match my own strength in the world.”

[Seems that way… Your divine power is also quite exceptional… you are indeed qualified.]

“But why?”

[However, I can feel it; being derived from the axis of order, I can sense that you are not a good omen… Being involved with you might ultimately lead to ruin for me… I don’t want to bind myself by forging a bond with someone like you.]

“What do you mean? Not a good omen…? ”

[Those beings of chaos might be intrigued and fascinated by you, but I am not. We do not share common ground.]

Believing this to be a definitive statement, Behemoth then said a moment later, [Then leave… you who are favored by chaos…]

Paaat!!

I was thrust back out into the reality of the outside world. Eventually, I saw Belov writhing in agony, engulfed in a fiery heat.

“Gah… Ahh…!!”

It was divine fever.

Behemoth must have transfigured his powers into him, and after overcoming this divine heat, Belov would become exponentially more powerful. And while Belov drew attention, I would meet with Krishna.

“……”

Favored by chaos…

When exactly did I acquire such an ability?

‘Is it the ability of the Heavenly Secret?’

Nevertheless, I learned something from this incident.

It wouldn’t be easy to gain the obedience of those who belong to the side of order from now on. While they might cooperate, it seemed they greatly detested the immense chaotic attributes that I carried.

Finally, as Belov overcame the divine fever, they gathered their troops and set forth towards the capital, leading with Belov and Black Dragon Dracula. Belov appeared filled with newfound confidence brought about by the strength he had just received.

[These rebellious fools!!]

High above the capital, Ivan IV floated, looking like a white cloud, and thundered down at them, prompting Belov to reply, “Emperor Ivan…!! Today, I will eradicate the power of demons!”

Boom, boom, boom

Amid the chaos of battle, I infiltrated the city. Perhaps the Eight Parts of the Divine might have sensed my movements, but naturally, they would prioritize the duel between Ivan and the Eastern Orthodox Church, so the odds of them focusing on me were slim.

I then stepped into the small building where Krishna was located.

“Have you come, Baek Woong?”

The young man, Krishna, who was changing a baby’s diaper while seated, spoke to me.

I could feel the countless gazes of the many children inside the building suddenly directed at me.

Krishna had been caring for the children all this time.