Void Monster.
These ugly creatures, formally known as ‘Void Monsters,’ are not living beings born in the conventional way.
They are entities born from the fusion of various corpses flowing into the void energy from the real world.
As such, they all look bizarre and move in strangely twisted ways. They even make ordinary monsters look like cute pets.
A void expert had this to say about their characteristics:
“They might look grotesque, but if you get to know them by living together, they start to look cute. It seems their appearance becomes softer as you build a good relationship.”
…Isn’t that just getting used to them? That goes for people, too.
The viewers of Tra’ave, who had an affinity for Wip, ruthlessly criticized them saying things like ‘so disgusting’ and ‘ugly as hell.’ I thought the same.
However, I didn’t voice my thoughts out loud. After all, having an ideal conversation requires considering the feelings of the person you’re speaking with.
Of course, it also helped that a Holy Knight was beside me to convey my words.
“Yakhyo. You have a bad habit of not judging things related to the void objectively.”
At Yao’s cold assessment, Wip tilted her head slightly as if confused.
“Me?”
“That’s my judgment.”
“No way….”
Despite her protest, which was funny, she didn’t push back too hard. If it were Hekatrith, they would have had a massive argument by now.
Indeed, she was a promising Holy Knight who was quite admirable. Should I propose even more outrageous conditions next time?
While I was constructing my talent acquisition plan, we walked diligently.
With a Void Monster protecting the unconscious Returnees and regular citizens, we could move without worry.
Although the consumption of Sacred Power was severe and my legs trembled, it wasn’t to the extent that I couldn’t walk at all.
“Ah, Archbishop. I almost fell.”
“Thank you.”
With help from those around me, I found myself in a noticeably open space.
It was an area with hardly any tall buildings around.
The few structures that were there were either crumbling, kicking up dust, or leaning precariously.
Exactly leaning towards us.
“Fallen Sky, Dirty Sea!”
Reacting immediately, Wip summoned monstrous birds with three pairs of wings and skeletal cephalopods.
While their master claimed they looked cute, to me, those hideously ugly Void Monsters were preventing the buildings’ collapse with their bodies and tentacles.
Perhaps irritated by this, a dissatisfaction-filled cry echoed from somewhere.
– Kieeeee….
It was a chilling sound, like nails screeching on a chalkboard mixed with the noise of a cutter knife scratching glass.
The entity producing this discordant symphony stared menacingly at us from a distance.
“Eh?”
Yao, who had taken out her smartphone to record, widened her eyes in shock.
Then, with an excited gaze, she shook my arm.
“Archbishop! It’s the White Tiger, the White Tiger!”
“…I know, so please let go of me.”
As Yao said, that Void Monster took the form of a White Tiger.
A perfect harmony of white fur and black stripes. It was the very embodiment of the legendary creature that existed purely in imagination but happened to exist in reality.
However, there were a few ugly parts that disqualified it from being treated as one of the ‘Divine Beasts.’
Firstly, its two eyes shone with a dazzling golden hue, but there was another pair on its forehead.
And those black stripes? They turned out to be numerous black tentacles sticking to its body.
And upon closer inspection, its tail resembled a long white worm.
Conclusively summarizing….
“It’s ugly.”
It only served to heighten my prejudice against Void Monsters.
While I could somewhat accept that it was ugly, I wasn’t pleased that it was revealing its teeth and growling aggressively upon spotting us.
“Let’s get rid of it quickly.”
“No way!!”
The moment I suggested elimination, Yao clung to me and shook her head furiously.
“Archbishop! Let’s take it with us!”
“That’s not happening.”
“I’ll take it for walks, and feed it well!”
“……”
This situation felt like a child begging her mom for a dog while the mom adamantly refuses.
If Erina and Ibailla wanted a puppy because they grew up so beautifully, I would allow it without question, but Yao was just a Holy Knight.
Most importantly, that monster was not a dog. Just because she threw a tantrum didn’t mean I’d allow it.
“Cutie-pawing!”
“Being cute won’t work.”
“Cutie-pawing!”
“Getting angry is of no use.”
At this rate, I’d have to deal with this for the whole day. Just as I was about to firmly reject her, Wip cautiously spoke up.
“Archbishop, I can alter its appearance using void energy to a certain extent.”
“Oooh!!”
Yao, who had been pretending to cry while clinging to me, sparkled her eyes.
I shoved the rookie Holy Knight away and asked, “Is that really possible?”
“Yes. The body of a Void Monster is composed of void energy.”
“Isn’t it similar to changing a Golem’s appearance by using rocks or steel?”
“Exactly.”
Then, theoretically, it wasn’t an impossible story.
If someone like Wip were capable, it wouldn’t be that difficult for her to do.
“I might not be able to change it fundamentally, but I can adjust certain parts.”
“But why do all of Wip’s Void Monsters look so hideous?”
“Hmm? Aren’t they all adorable?”
“Ah… Anyway, I’d appreciate your help.”
If there was an appearance customization function, then there was no reason to leave it behind.
After changing it to a sturdy form that suited my preferences, it could become a symbol of our order along with Young Dragon.
Having made up my mind, I gently patted Yao’s back to calm her down.
“Alright. Let’s take it with us and raise it.”
“Archbishop!”
Yao’s clear pair of azure eyes began to sparkle like stars.
Is it that good?
I couldn’t understand why she liked the White Tiger so much. I hope she doesn’t ask for a Blue Dragon, Vermilion Bird, or Black Tortoise later.
I covered Yao’s unnecessarily sparkling eyes and prepared for battle.
Now, the remaining Sacred Power was about the capacity of a tank for an apartment, but it was enough to grant a blessing.
With this amount, I could bestow a useful blessing.
“O marvelous Sun, I suspect you’re getting a little annoyed now. Thank you very much.”
After offering a prayer, I gestured towards the robot that had not yet participated in the conversation.
“Finally. My time to shine. Here I come.”
Ignoring the still-idiotic tone, I encased the robot, Kim Ji-yeon, with Sacred Power.
Head, arms, legs, and so on. All parts somewhat related to combat were enveloped in a pink glow and were soon completely absorbed.
A blessing, the ruthless arbiter of the battlefield.
It was a first-class blessing that simultaneously enhances judgment, dynamic vision, strength, and speed. Such a useful buff was rare.
I was slightly anxious that it might not affect a machine, but thankfully, it seemed to work well.
“Oooh! Surprise! All functions. Greatly enhanced. Infinite thanks. Archbishop, Archbishop, respect.”
“…Save the gratitude for later and go out. If things get dangerous, I’ll heal you. So unleash your attacks freely.”
I was a specialist in static healing, but no one could surpass me in dynamic areas.
Thanks to my experiences supporting warriors and Holy Knights during my time as the Saint of the Hero Party, I could heal allies in any situation.
I was what you call a ‘specialized battle healer.’
“Well then, let’s begin.”
With my words, the robot’s anxious momentum transformed.
The noise of machines ceased, chaotic and loud.
Throwing away the light, relaxed atmosphere, it silently prepared for battle.
It was a formidable presence.
Were they really a Returnee? I was looking forward to how they fought.
Would it take out a rocket launcher or flamethrower like a machine?
With a pounding heart, I watched as Kim Ji-yeon brought out her weapon.
So, I heard a clicking sound as a deck of cards appeared from her left palm.
“…Is that your weapon?”
With a mix of hope and skepticism, I asked, and Kim Ji-yeon nodded vigorously.
“Possession. Card game. Deck of cards. My treasure. More precious than life.”
“……”
How does she plan to fight with a deck of cards like that?
Is she going to throw the cards or use them like daggers in combat?
I quickly found out the truth. To be precise, I guessed about half of it.
“Duel start!”
Kim Ji-yeon drew four cards from her deck.
The cards featured impressive Eastern-style illustrations, each depicting muscular men or monsters.
I didn’t know the rules well, but it seemed like she drew decently.
As I pondered this, I suddenly heard a sullen mechanical voice.
“Aah, this is bad. Hand tangled. Fail, fail.”
“……”
After staring intently at her cards for a while, Kim Ji-yeon pointed towards the White Tiger.
“It’s your turn.”
It’s real-time combat! What do you mean, ‘your turn, my turn’?
The Void Monster seemed bewildered as it paused with a blank expression before abruptly charging in.
“Yao.”
“Got it.”
Following my command, Yao conjured a spear of blue light and thrust it at the charging White Tiger.
Thwack! A precise strike lodged into the monster’s shoulder.
However, it showed no signs of being affected, starting to thrash violently, wielding its claws and tentacles wildly.
Despite its quite powerful offensive, Yao skillfully dodged or deflected everything while landing occasional thrusts.
In the meantime, Kim Ji-yeon sneaked back, crossed her arms, and whispered.
“The hand got tangled. It would’ve worked, but I could handle it. Okay, okay?”
“Yes. Understood.”
I nodded and promptly added a line of information to Hainha’s tablet.
[Specialty: Bragging]
It seemed like an assessment that wouldn’t change anytime soon.
*
“What a peculiar space.”
“Yes….”
Kelaout and Han Hee-jun were riding on a six-legged Void Monster.
They had just entered the void after an extended training session.
Still, they hadn’t finished all their lessons.
“We’ll see you again after we go back.”
“…….”
Han Hee-jun’s expression soured, but being behind the wheel, Kelaout didn’t notice.
“Still, I’m happy to see you improving. Don’t you feel proud?”
“…Yes.”
“Your voice is too quiet.”
“Yes! I’m so very proud!”
As the old man and boy affectionately conversed, their ride suddenly halted.
– Grumble…
The monster they were riding abruptly stopped and turned its head to look somewhere.
Where its gaze landed was an alleyway between buildings.
“What’s wrong?”
Could an enemy have appeared? Just as Kelaout was preparing to summon Sacred Power for any possible situation, a man suddenly popped out of the alley.
And upon seeing the hideous six-legged monster, he screamed.
“Ahhhhh!”
The scream was so loud that it startled the monster into a frenzy, but Kelaout soothed it, and it gradually calmed down.
After some time, the man, who had been crouching on the ground, finally stood up, relief washing over his face.
“Thank you, elder…. Hm? Are you the Archbishop who appeared on the Pope’s stream?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
I never expected someone would recognize my face just from one appearance.
It seems that internet broadcasts have more reach than I anticipated.
I was glad I didn’t bend the Pope’s will.
It was a way to widely spread the teachings of the order while making the Pope happy. Internet broadcasting was a method of communication that brought only benefits without any detriment.
Recalling the image of Eluke enjoying conversations with viewers via the chat function, Kelaout addressed the man.
“By the way, what were you doing here?”
Wandering around this dangerous place without possessing great strength?
I didn’t know who he was, but I had to firmly reprimand him to bring him back to his senses.
Just as I was thinking this and getting ready to lecture, the man hurriedly spoke up.
“Elder! There was a bizarre writing over there! It mentioned the Archbishop!”
“…Where is it? Please lead the way.”
This wasn’t the time to preach.
Following the man into the alley, Kelaout found writing scrawled on one of the walls.
[Not the Black Sun, but honestly, doesn’t the Archbishop seem super old-fashioned?]
“…….”
Even the least culturally accustomed Archbishop could recognize that sentence was quite revealing of the writer’s identity.
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