“Let’s hear you talk arrogantly like earlier!”
“Grrrr…!”
Boom, whack, crunch.
The self-proclaimed Celestial Demon is getting beat down.
Despite occasionally using some sneaky martial arts, they were no match for the Great Demon borrowing the body of Demon King Balreer.
It was a pitifully one-sided assault.
As expected, Rema was like a child against a superhuman. No wonder they could act viciously against Korean returnees.
– Who’s that again?
– What did I just see?
– ???
– What in the world are you doing?
– Ugh…
– Seriously getting beaten like a dog.
A small girl was shocked to see a muscular uncle transform, causing the chat window to blow up since earlier.
And they were horrified to see Siunryang suddenly become soaked in blood.
Perhaps because they were getting hit so hard, there were even some chat messages expressing pity for them, despite previously roasting them mercilessly.
It was indeed a violent spectacle. If I hadn’t instructed the Witness to censor it in real-time, I probably would have faced an indefinite suspension by now.
“The screen you are currently viewing is being censored. If you want to see the uncensored version, please support us. Prices start at one million won.”
Trying to lighten the mood, I whimsically turned and walked away.
Then, a delinquent-looking high schooler appeared in the air and followed me. It was Han Hee-jun.
Looking at me with sparkling eyes as if seeking praise, I willingly gave him what he wanted.
“Well done.”
“It was nothing special.”
Was it because I had been focusing on Kelaout’s character education all this time?
Despite his rough appearance, Han Hee-jun showed a gentle reaction. He looked embarrassed.
Finally, I had safely guided one delinquent high schooler onto the right path. Truly, it was fitting of the Archbishop of determination and will.
Smiling pleasantly, I asked Han Hee-jun.
“When our self-proclaimed Celestial Demon falls, please release the subordinates from spatial confinement. So that Rema can handle it.”
“I’ve already made arrangements for that. Is that all I need to do?”
“There’s more. Please wait a moment.”
I only stopped walking after moving a bit away from where Rema and Siunryang were clashing.
Then I gathered my Sacred Power and formed it into a small sphere in my hand.
“This time, it’ll be much more dazzling. Cover your eyes or prepare sunglasses.”
After giving a heads-up to the viewers, I sent the globe of Sacred Power floating upward from my palm.
Sacred Spell, “Lamp of Parma.”
The pink sphere soaring toward the sky soon began to emit an intense light that poked at the eyes.
It was a feeble glimmer compared to the sun.
But bright enough to reach throughout the urban center. And it wasn’t just bright for the sake of it.
“What’s that?”
“Countless moths are bound to fly toward the light in the darkness. Look over there.”
“Oh….”
As Han Hee-jun shifted his gaze along my finger, he gasped.
In that direction, vampires from the “Blood Clan” were flying in. Each one emitting incomprehensible, grotesque sounds.
“The ‘Lamp of Parma’ I just used is a Sacred Spell designed to excite enemies and temporarily make them lose their sanity.”
In simpler terms, it was a technique to draw aggro during battle.
Its effectiveness dropped against enemies with strong resistance to Sacred Power, but they were vampires.
Though not as much as the undead, they were a tribe vulnerable to sacred energy.
From experience, the effect of Sacred Spells was almost doubled. So for a while, they would turn into real beasts moving purely on instinct.
– Holy Father. Their leader, returnee [Ji Hyun-woo], was too busy fighting the hero [Lady Taegukgi] to be drawn to the light.
Surprisingly, the most troublesome opponent was already being dealt with by the earlier arriving Psycheless.
If we could take care of just this vampire horde, we might be able to resolve the situation nicely.
“Han Hee-jun, trap them in spatial confinement as they approach. Jo Ha-jin too.”
“…Just that uncle?”
“Yes.”
“Are you serious?”
“Indeed.”
“He’s bound to get angry. Is it really okay?”
“Just do it secretly.”
Han Hee-jun, wide-eyed in disbelief, kept questioning, but I calmly answered each one. This was a decision I had thoroughly considered.
While we were having this exchange, the viewers became curious about Jo Ha-jin, whom I had just mentioned.
– Who is this guy you’re sending out alone?
– Is he a returnee?
– I’ve never heard that name before.
– Looks like he wasn’t someone who went on an expedition to the Demon World.
After quietly monitoring the flood of speculation in the chat, I revealed the truth.
“He isn’t someone particularly strong.”
Jo Ha-jin was not a superhuman; he merely had physical capabilities beyond an ordinary person’s reach.
Yet the reason I wanted to tackle the vampire horde alone was due to one peculiar aspect.
“That individual survived in a world ravaged by the zombie virus. While his trained strength played a part, there’s also a special reason for it.”
As I explained, the vampire horde was almost upon ‘Lamp of Parma.’
Now was the chance.
“I’ll trap them now.”
As Han Hee-jun waved his hand, around thirty Blood Clan vampires vanished simultaneously.
Though it wasn’t that close, his powers were remarkably effective. It seemed Liam wasn’t defeated for nothing after all.
“I did as you instructed.”
“Thank you for your effort.”
“Should we prepare to rescue that uncle just in case?”
“There’s no need.”
I rested my hand on the uneasily fidgeting Han Hee-jun’s shoulder.
“You wouldn’t know because you aren’t close, but Jo Ha-jin has the zombie virus within him. And vampires are of the kind that suck others’ blood.”
“…Oh.”
While he was using a special item to prevent his own zombification, if anyone else consumed Jo Ha-jin’s blood, they would turn into a zombie.
In essence, he was like a vampire’s special poison.
“If left alone, he’ll take care of the Blood Clan all by himself.”
While it wasn’t an intention to bring him, given the mutual weaknesses, it was a mismatch that guaranteed he wouldn’t lose.
*
Ha-jin swung his hand axe wildly while cursing.
“Damn it!”
Being dropped into a space teeming with vampires without any signal was clearly the Pope’s doing.
Is he out of his mind? I’ve thought about this before; the Pope is a dignified clergy member, but he occasionally shows signs of mild madness.
And now was one of those moments.
It would’ve been nice if he’d informed me how to handle this in advance, but instead, he had to sneak me into the vampires’ midst.
Truly, not joining the Order was the right choice. If I had entered the Church, I might be facing an even harsher environment than this.
This is why one has to live alone.
Revisiting the lesson of life, Ha-jin kept swinging his hand axe.
“Ugh!”
Just when a vampire with a split head fell, another from behind lunged and sank its fangs into Ha-jin’s nape.
An utterly meaningless attempt.
“Uweeeek!”
The vampire that drank from the blood infected with the zombie virus shrieked and stumbled around, spasming as it transformed into a zombie, just like the previously zombified peer.
‘At least I’m fortunate to have the upper hand.’
Ha-jin whimsically thought positively and extended his arm.
This was part of the “reverse vampire” strategy the Pope had conceived, taught through Kelaout. Specifically feasible since the opposing vampires had lost their reason.
“Give me your blood!”
While he briefly spaced out, yet another vampire swooped in, biting his arm to siphon blood.
The outcome was the same as before.
“Uwoooo…”
Another zombie was added.
Crack!
Splitting the skull of the newly lifeless vampire, Ha-jin smirked.
‘Looks like I’ll win without a hitch.’
Although it was smoother than expected to slice through the vampires, he still didn’t like the Pope’s unilateral decisions.
He would absolutely not join the Order.
It was more a decision driven by rebellion and malice than outright hostility.
*
“Who said getting older is always tough? I’ll ban you.”
I was bantering casually with the viewers, juggling conversations as usual.
The mellow exchange was vastly different from when we first started the stream. Now that the situation was almost resolved, I could relax a bit.
How long had I been waiting?
“Oh, he actually won by himself.”
With a look of relief, Han Hee-jun waved his hand into the air.
Just then, Jo Ha-jin, covered in blood and holding a hand axe, appeared before us, looking worn out.
“…Pope.”
The survivor of the zombie world cast a resentful glance at me, but I smiled without a care.
“Are you alright?”
“No, I almost died.”
“For having gone through that, you look pretty clean.”
“I was drained too much. They all rushed at me in a state of losing their sanity.”
“That’s thanks to my technique.”
“Thanks a lot. It was a novel experience I’d rather not repeat.”
Seeing him grumbling while lighting a cigarette eased my worries.
I had been anxious something might go wrong, but thankfully, he had excellently fulfilled his role. A true returnee’s capability.
“Both of you should take a rest now.”
After granting the fatigued returnees some Sacred Power, I spread my spiritual sense throughout the city.
Before I knew it, much of the chaos had been subdued.
The self-proclaimed Celestial Demon and his subordinates had all been taken down by Rema, borrowing the form of the Demon King Balreer.
The vampire group was wiped out by Jo Ha-jin, who had the upper hand.
Even the influence once felt from the leader of the Blood Clan had disappeared. It seemed Psycheless had subdued him.
And.
The fierce battle unfolding in the sky between the Guardian Dragon and the Tentacle Monster was also coming to an end.
As expected, the victor was Young Dragon.
“Ha-ha! You were just some pathetic thing!”
With a rather excited voice, flames burst forth from numerous magic circles.
– Kieeek!
The monster trying to bind Hekatrith with its tentacles burst into flames, emitting a dreadful sound as it burned away.
While it was regenerating, it was far too slow. Young Dragon’s flames were engulfing all the tentacles much faster.
Then, a giant fiery spike pierced through the monster’s grotesque head.
The decisive blow that would turn the tides of battle.
The tentacle creature, still writhing and resisting, finally hung limply in the air. A foolish monster that dared to challenge the Guardian Dragon met its end.
‘Everything has been resolved.’
At last.
I had cleaned up all the armed forces that had stirred up a riot in Incheon.
Yet the impersonator still hadn’t barged in during the broadcast.
Why isn’t he showing up? He must be keeping an eye on me.
Could he have some other scheme?
While pondering this with suspicion, a call came from the panicking Witness, who had been mirroring my leisure.
– Holy Father!
Pointing upwards with his hand raised, he urgently called out to me. I tilted my head, wondering what was going on, and then my mouth dropped open. There was no way around it.
“…Oh holy sun.”
The bright daytime sun was being painted black.
That wasn’t all.
Around the sun, a pitch-black crack was slowly spreading. It looked like a spider web, tangled and complex.
“You’ve really resolved everything, haven’t you?”
Suddenly, a familiar yet strange voice echoed from behind.
Hastily turning around, a woman with a recognizable appearance stood there.
Dressed in a solemn robe with a somewhat dry physique.
She looked like an ordinary human, but on her head were ears, and near her rear, a tail like that of a cat beastperson.
It was Sister Cat, the number one i-tuber who had been of great help when I first accessed internet broadcasting.
“…I didn’t expect you to crash the broadcast yourself.”
“You have a lack of imagination.”
Sister Cat smiled softly, a smile that stirred irritation within me.
“Did you wait until I got tired and then finally show up?”
“Not at all. I was originally just going to watch from afar and then withdraw today. But it seems your husband and companions who crossed into the Void are much more capable than I expected.”
It seemed the Void Raid Team was excelling.
Due to Liam and the clergy’s performances, there was a high possibility that plans I’d been carrying out as the “Black Sun impersonator” had encountered hiccups.
Thus, likely feeling anxious, she had no choice but to reveal herself. It meant she was cornered, despite the pretense of nonchalance.
“Pope Clitia Eluke. Since it has come to this, I will transparently tell you the schemes I have devised.”
With a grin that displayed her sharp teeth, Sister Cat pointed at the spreading black crack in the sky.
“That is a spell I have piled up by collecting malice for a long time. It has been arranged to eliminate all beings that have committed evil deeds or have the slightest potential to become evil in the future. Now, do you understand my goal?”
“…”
I was left speechless, unable to respond to such a ludicrous story.
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