### Chapter 390 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (6)
—
– Han Kain
A moment later, with a clank, two staff members entered the isolation area to retrieve my cage.
“Stay quiet.”
Instead of replying, I nodded vigorously, signaling the start of the escape operation.
Indeed, the Administration Bureau had enough security procedures to make a paranoid person sweat.
Basic stuff included iris recognition, and then there were all sorts of suspicious codes and obscure rituals that seemed straight out of an occult handbook, layered in triplicate.
However, the main issue was human nature.
No matter how tight the security procedures were, they were rendered useless when five internal staff members betrayed them.
Ultimately, those five layers of security fell apart in less than ten minutes.
At this point, I realized that the hooded figure, the so-called “Reincarnated Jesus,” was a more dangerous entity than anticipated.
He had managed to charm five staff members—who were used to dealing with supernatural beings and had some sort of resistance.
He might not be the real Jesus, but he certainly possessed a strange power.
Soon, the five staff members, one bizarre individual, and one bird arrived at a spot where an SUV was parked.
And then…
—Beep!
Unexpected events started unfolding.
“Stop!”
From the darkness, armed soldiers equipped with menacing gear began to approach.
Was there some sort of mistake?
“It’s late, but you’re coming out of an isolation area.”
The words were formal, but the atmosphere screamed otherwise.
Hands were blatantly reaching for their guns.
“This is an authorized action. Here, please check.”
The soldiers scrutinized the permission documents thoroughly.
“There seems to be no problem with the paperwork.”
“Well then—”
“I’ll need to check the cage shortly.”
“Uh, um?”
“Open it!”
What the heck was going on?
They just said there was no problem with the documents!
Did they sense something off?
If I failed to escape here, it would be game over…
At this point, the staff members who had been calmly leading the escape were thrown into a panic.
I could feel the undeniable fear creeping into the air.
The “Reincarnated Jesus” stood up.
“There is no abnormal entity here. You have seen nothing.”
With that simple statement, the situation came to a halt.
The soldiers, who looked ready to unleash a hail of bullets, turned around as if nothing had happened.
Soon, the devotees looked at their priest as if they were about to kneel.
“Lord… your greatness is—”
“Now, So-wun, let’s just get out of here.”
The Reincarnated Jesus had a surprisingly pragmatic personality.
*
After we finally exited the Bureau’s domain, a subtle tension filled the SUV once again.
The followers began glancing at the cage, debating how to handle me.
Just then, a soft voice was heard.
“Now, take it off. This is a bit suffocating.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
As the two staff members operated a strange device, the hood covering the self-proclaimed Jesus’s face was removed.
He wore an eerie smile and shifted his gaze toward me.
He looked to be in his early forties, with long hair that fell to his shoulders and brown eyes that hid their intentions.
That face looked familiar from sculptures.
Setting aside how the actual Jesus might look, the man before me fit the general image most people would have of him.
“Are you going to shout loudly here too, little friend? It doesn’t hold much significance now, does it?”
Of course, I had no intention of doing that.
As a book opened in the air, the SUV came to a halt.
The five staff members all turned to look at the self-proclaimed Jesus.
“Lord, if you claim to be the Messiah, you’ll need to show us something more impressive, right? What you’ve done so far is—quite frankly—pretty boring.”
The man half-opened his mouth, looking around.
“A talking parrot that supposedly has no relevance?”
“The Bureau doesn’t have a typical parrot around here.”
“Haha, you have a point. Well, friend, I suggest we set off again. We haven’t traveled far enough yet.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Also, since I lacked the confidence to maintain the power of the avatar without the status window, I soon loosed my hold.
The staff members, as if waking from a dream, seemed shocked and began trembling in fear.
“Mo-monster! What the heck are you—”
The self-proclaimed Jesus calmed his followers with a seemingly nonchalant tone.
“Hyun-seok, don’t worry and just drive. With me here, what’s there to fear? The Bureau wouldn’t just isolate a mere bird.”
The mental tug-of-war continued.
He scrutinized me, and I scrutinized him.
This type of battle favored me since, being in a parrot’s body, my intentions were mostly hidden.
After revealing the power of the avatar, the self-proclaimed Jesus no longer looked down on me lightly.
Yet he did not seem to fear me, either.
And then…
“Friend, I’m glad we’ve formed this mysterious bond and are on the same journey. However, we ought to observe some common courtesy, no?”
“…”
“Please refrain from attempting to control my body. I might laugh it off as your light-hearted antics, but my father wouldn’t take kindly to it.”
His grimoire’s power had no effect on him.
That meant he was on a different level.
“May I ask one question?”
“Willingly.”
“I can’t refer to you simply as ‘friend’ or ‘Lord,’ can I?”
“Oh? So now you finally want to get personal? What shall I call you?”
Perhaps it was because I was meeting a self-proclaimed Messiah, but names from the Bible popped into my mind.
“Cain.”
“Call me Icthus (ἸΧΘΥΣ).”
A bizarre string of letters flashed through my mind.
It definitely wasn’t in English or Korean.
*
Neither Icthus nor I spoke again, and this uncomfortable cohabitation stretched for quite a while.
But all things must come to an end.
At some point, I realized the SUV had come to a standstill, circling a particular area repeatedly.
It seemed that Icthus’s base of operations was nearby.
The follower driving must have thought that bringing a monster to a holy site would be inappropriate.
Eventually, the silence was broken.
“Cain. I’ve thought of something worth discussing.”
“…”
“You can leave this vehicle whenever you wish. From the start, we wouldn’t have stopped you anyway.”
“…”
“Do you have something to ask of us?”
“Icthus, you seem to have something you want from me as well, don’t you?”
Icthus nodded.
“Yes, Cain, I indeed have someone I serve.”
“…”
“My father. While he’s not the one who made my body, he is the one who shaped my soul. He is indeed the spirit who will awaken humanity and gaze upon all with a holy eye—”
“So, there’s something above you?”
“Exactly.”
Looking back, it made sense.
He disguised himself as a son of God while hiding a false doctrine imitating Christianity.
This meant a godlike being indeed existed.
And he resisted the power of the grimoire.
I had faced such occurrences multiple times in the cursed chamber, yet this wasn’t something easily done with mere physical strength.
Such feats were only possible when the very essence of the soul is leagues above that of the culprit.
It pointed to the fact that he had some connection to a divine entity.
At this moment, I started feeling that this self-proclaimed Jesus might not be the son of God, but perhaps the son of a devil.
“My father often laments his hands being tied. Your skills… will be of use to him.”
Instantly, I chuckled.
Don’t we all imagine receiving an exorbitant salary from a global conglomerate at least once?
In this day and age, where the seriousness of youth unemployment is discussed daily in the news.
Yet here I was, being recruited by one of the five multinational corporations offering me a multi-million deal!
Ah, just imagining it sent shivers down my spine!
…
Back in high school, I had countless dreams about this, but who would’ve guessed I’d get recruited by a cult that resembled an unknown deity instead of a big corporation?
But let’s think positively.
It’s hard to receive such offers even if you attend Seoul National University, Harvard, or MIT.
“I also have something I desire.”
“Please, go ahead.”
Icthus’s eyes glimmered peculiarly as he fixed them on me.
He probably had some sort of ability to unveil lies, just like Elena.
Since I had no intention of lying, I didn’t mind.
First, let me refine my speech.
“I have descended from above. There is one who gazes down from the heavenly throne, referred to as ‘the Lord.’ He bestowed upon me the power of the sacred sun; I am indeed his firstborn and messenger.”
Icthus’s expression stiffened slightly.
“What… you can’t possibly be a fellow partner?”
Was that a joke?
This kid, calling himself a cult leader, thinks I’m a partner?
That felt a tad unpleasant.
“Though due to various accidents, I found myself trapped in the body of a bird, my essence resides far above in the heavens. I have no interest in worldly matters and wish to return above.”
“Return above?”
“In the next five or six days, somewhere in the sky of this nation, my body will begin to descend.”
Once the hourglass has flipped, precisely seven days later, my body anchored in the hotel will start to plummet.
The problem is, I often end up sleeping and fainting, so I have no exact timing.
“Before my physical form hits the ground—”
Before my body collides with the ground.
“I need to find that body.”
That’s how I can return.
Icthus pondered for a moment and then neatly summarized my request.
“So, to put it simply, you want me to find a human body falling from the sky in Korea sometime between five and six days?”
“Exactly.”
“Indeed. You’re asking me to monitor the entire Korean sky for a day. Furthermore, the fall time will likely be at most one minute, making the time limit quite tight.”
“…”
“To me, that’s impossible, and it wouldn’t be easy for the Bureau either.”
“…”
“But to my great father, such a task is exceedingly simple.”
“Glad to hear that.”
“It’s beneficial for us both.”
“…”
“Your request, I will pass it directly to my father. He is infinitely merciful toward those who serve him, so he will surely grant your wish.”
“…”
“Hyun-seok, let’s set off. We’re heading to the Holy Land. It’s time to meet my father after a long while.”
Icthus’s intentions were too transparent.
He intended to take me to the god he worshiped.
…
He was certain.
As long as he could take me to the ‘Holy Land,’ the entity he referred to as ‘father’ would be able to gain control over me in an instant.
And then, the sect would harness the powers of the useful parrot.
At that moment, the feeling in my heart shifted from fear to curiosity.
I was purely curious.
Just how powerful was that ‘father’ compared to the prisoners of the hotel?
*
Early in the morning, the tranquility of the Bureau was shattered instantly.
“Serial Number M-0154, ‘Icthus’ has escaped!”
“It is believed that at least three internal staff members have fallen under mental control—”
“Evidence has also surfaced indicating external interference—”
“It has been confirmed that the MP 214 received by the staff provided insufficient mental resistance—”
Rapid-fire reports and chaotic reactions ensued.
In the midst of it all, a man in his late forties appeared utterly worn out.
“Not again…”
“Director, please approve the revision request!”
The man, Park Hyunmin, head of the Korea branch of the Bureau, glanced over the file resting on his desk.
—
‘Icthus’:
– Serial Number: M-0154
– Risk Level: C
An entity previously leading an unidentified cult in Incheon.
Can deceive individuals with its gaze and speech, yet trained personnel can resist.
There appears to be a divine entity worshipped by the sect, but it is presumed to be an intangible being.
– Management Procedure: Manipulate
The ability can be suppressed using C-class containment gear and B-class AT control devices.
Despite the utility of the ability, it is considered worth attracting through persuasion.
—
“That’s mostly incorrect.”
Soon, an amended file appeared.
—
‘Icthus’:
– Serial Number: D-0154
– Risk Level: B
An entity previously leading an unidentified cult in Incheon.
Can deceive individuals with its gaze and speech, and staff are unable to resist.
There appears to be a divine entity worshipped by the sect, but it is presumed to be an intangible being.
– Management Procedure: Destroy
Unable to control or contain. Removal required.
—
Director Park’s gaze halted midway through the document.
“Seems there’s a mistake with this part as well?”
“Yes?”
“It seems there is indeed a tangible divine entity worshipped by the sect.”
“We wiped out the cultists in Incheon during the capture, yet none appeared—”
“If it had the same power from the start, it wouldn’t have been caught in the first place, would it?”
“…”
“Back then, it was weaker than it is now. While confined, it must have grown stronger. Do you honestly think it was exercising in solitary confinement?”
“Someone has given it power.”
Just as the surroundings became chaotic again, another staff member cautiously approached.
“D-Director!”
“What is it?”
“It seems another confined entity has escaped along with Icthus.”
Yet another file surfaced on the desk.
—
‘Clever Parrot’:
– Serial Number: C-0237
– Risk Level: D
Highly intelligent and can freely speak human language.
Claims to originally be a K university student named ‘Han Kain’ and lists several acquaintances.
Upon verification, ‘Han Kain’ and their family, friends, etc., do not exist.
Threatens to escape using a ‘grimoire.’
Whether such a tool exists is unclear.
+ Additional notes:
Quick-witted and possesses enough courage to threaten cultists amidst the chaos.
No other special abilities have been confirmed yet.
– Management Procedure: Contain
Sufficient to imprison it in an electrified cage.
+ Remember, since this is a provisional file, there is much information that remains uncertain!
—
“Should we revise the management procedures? Destroy? Control?”
With a weary expression, Director Park declared.
“We shouldn’t need to complicate things further. It doesn’t seem to possess any remarkable power, given it hardly used any while escaping.”
“Let’s order it to be shot.”
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