Chapter 528 – Room 207, Gate Room – Fourth Trial: ‘Fallen King’ (14)
– Vatican, Heresy Inquisition Korean Branch
“Seven PA-192 attack drones have been shot down!”
“TCS-911 Alpha squad has been completely wiped out!”
“The Aesus ship attempted to approach, but Horus’s speed is too fast!”
In the operation control room, constant reports were streaming in real-time.
At the front of the vast conference room was a massive screen reminiscent of a movie theater.
The footage on the screen felt like something straight out of an action film.
The difference was that what was happening on screen was reality.
Indeed.
For the staff of the Heresy Inquisition, the shimmering humanoid chaos entity flying at subsonic speeds and bathing fourth-generation tanks in heat beams was nothing short of actual reality.
It was also reality that the devil, audaciously claiming to be a god, was destroying over 200 drones in real time.
The central figure, Kim Hak-yeon, the head of the Korean branch of the Heresy Inquisition, could not hide his anxiety.
“With our current forces, we can’t stop that monster! What about the support request?”
“We’ve already sent it, but…”
“Send more!”
As the branch head, anxiety was expected.
The dreadful prophecy that the ancient demon worshipped by the Horus sect would awaken someday in South Korea was one of the oldest revelations passed down to the Vatican.
The Korean branch had long been prepared, but when the fateful day arrived, all their efforts became useless.
If something blows up, who’s going to take responsibility?
Of course, Kim Hak-yeon had excuses.
How could he have known the ‘veil’ over Seoul would suddenly start to lift?
With the demons the Korean branch had suppressed now awakened and running rampant, both Seoul and the entire branch were effectively paralyzed.
Just as they were barely stabilizing Seoul, Horus had already flown to America with Pope Sophia.
If he were to make a decisive move, it needed to be over the Pacific.
Once Horus reached land in America, they would surely have to limit their firepower for fear of the U.S. government, right?
Of course, from what he had learned over many years of service, the Inquisition could, if necessary, drop a nuclear missile on New York!
“Drones alone won’t be enough! Form additional combat squadrons—”
“Sir! Horus has the power to mesmerize people! What if the pilots are brainwashed?”
“Then let them fire missiles from a distance!”
At this point, the employees in the operation control room were red-eyed and bloodshot.
— Bzzzzt!
Suddenly, the surrounding speakers emitted a noise that sounded like they were all broken.
It was a bizarre phenomenon, but what occurred next was even stranger for the staff in the operation control room.
— Thud!
Everyone’s eyes widened as they instantly stopped what they were doing and knelt respectfully.
For a moment, even the rampaging Horus on the screen couldn’t break their concentration.
“Let the revelation descend…”
“Let the revelation descend…”
“Let the revelation—”
The revelation from the Virgin Aedia had begun.
The content was simple enough.
“Just let him go.”
For a moment, the operation control room, unable to comprehend the revelation, started to murmur.
Soon, Head Kim Hak-yeon calmed the mood and asked.
“Everyone be quiet! Does the Virgin mean to let Horus go?”
“Yes.”
With that answer given, there was no room for alternative interpretation.
“…”
Head Kim Hak-yeon could not understand the Virgin’s will.
In his mind, it seemed much more reasonable to settle things over the Pacific.
However, he soon realized that this very attitude was impious.
Unquestioning obedience was the greatest virtue.
“Withdraw!”
“I’ll relay the order to the field!”
Soon, the employees began transmitting the retreat order to the field.
*
– Han Kain
By the time we finished the arduous flight and arrived in Massachusetts, I had already become one of the most famous people on Earth.
“…”
As I watched the crowd gathering like clouds from afar, I was almost breathless.
“Did I really have to do this?”
“Your return cannot be hidden.”
Sophia’s calm response carried several implications.
We’re living in the 21st century, where shocking news from Africa lapses into global headlines within 30 minutes.
In such a time, a so-called god returned, and that “god” was on the way to the sect’s headquarters—even the Vatican set off an incredible aerial battle.
Could such a fact be hidden away?
Even if the Vatican tried to shove it under the rug—no, they didn’t seem inclined to hide it at all.
“What’s the title of this article?”
“The Ancient Devil Awakens.”
Articles of this nature flooded the entire globe.
“The ancient devil has awakened.”
“Why am I the devil?”
“The Vatican calls you a devil.”
“If the Vatican calls you a devil, then you are a devil?”
“There are over 5 billion Catholic believers worldwide, you know.”
“Seriously, what’ve you all been doing to have such a massive discrepancy in the number of believers?”
“If Horus had granted me just a bit more power.”
“Both of you should stop babbling nonsense and come over here.”
Jokes aside, it felt quite eerie.
Why was the Vatican, which censors practically all chaotic entity-related info, broadcasting my resurrection to the world?
Public opinion warfare.
They needed to publicize my ‘danger’ to ease their subsequent maneuvers!
“This is unsettling.”
“…”
“Could the Vatican really drop a nuke on the entire USA?”
“Then you should just send the missile back into space.”
Fortunately, having alerted Sophia in advance, the sect was well-prepared, allowing us to navigate through the cloud-like gathering of people without much hassle.
*
As we moved to the area where Grandpa and Miro slept, Sophia, gazing out the window, muttered.
“Can you see over there?”
“A university.”
“I attended there with Aria.”
“I heard. The, was it Miskatonic University? Haha! So you two are alumni?”
“Not exactly.”
“Huh?”
“I received my diploma multiple times, but Aria has never graduated. She’s a high school dropout.”
“In exchange, I’ve received high school diplomas around thirty times.”
“Is that something to brag about?”
“I’ve got more diplomas than you.”
The subtle rivalry between the two, as usual, popped up out of nowhere.
Once it started, it wouldn’t end easily.
“I can see it. That place is where Aria cowardly ambushed Lucas, who felt like family to me.”
“The experience was satisfying.”
“Ugh!”
No, that was too extreme!
“Are you saying you enjoyed stabbing someone to death with an invisible knife?”
“Sure do.”
“Well, I felt it when I melted Fortuna’s skull.”
“…”
Oh boy.
From what I heard from Aria, Seungyub had also been exposed to the ‘mirror’ and transformed into that foreign entity named Fortuna.
Through some sort of hypnosis, Aria awakened Seungyub’s self trapped within Fortuna and attempted to assassinate Aedia.
…
The attempted assassination of Aedia, a massive event recorded in history as the ‘Spanish Disaster’, ultimately failed due to a combination of factors.
First and foremost was the immense power the Virgin had built up over thousands of years.
Secondly, Aria couldn’t really refute the Virgin’s claim, “Horus saved me, but you’re trying to kill me?”
After the Spanish Disaster, Aria and Seungyub roamed Europe for quite some time, collecting ‘Aria’s fragments.’
Later, when they returned to the U.S., the Horus sect had destroyed Seungyub.
“Sophia, I stand firm in my opinion. Mobilizing all your sect’s forces to take down Fortuna was a monumental mistake.”
“You have no idea how monstrous that thing is.”
“I’ve told you a hundred times, right? Fortuna was recalling old memories beside me—”
“She hated humans until her last moment. Try countering that.”
“No—”
“Stop, stop. Let’s drop it here. Sophia, have we almost reached the cave?”
“We have about 30 minutes left.”
Was it because we were returning to a place that evoked past memories?
Aria and Sophia couldn’t hide their old grudges.
In Aria’s eyes, Fortuna was merely twisted temporarily by a powerful ‘practitioner’ and was a precious ally.
In Sophia’s perception, Fortuna was the enemy who killed her mother and mentor, the greatest foe of the sect, and a monster that despises humanity.
This rift was one that even the heavens couldn’t bridge.
As for me, it was tricky to take a side.
I could somewhat understand both psychologically, and it was all over even before I woke up.
But one thing made me curious.
“Let me ask you both just in case, but are we sure Fortuna is dead?”
“…”
“…”
Surprisingly, neither of them could answer easily.
“…It’s true she hasn’t shown up in over 50 years.”
“The informant planted in the Vatican said there’s been no sign of her there either.”
“But, supposedly, her soul is captured in the Soul Chamber. She might be in a state close to immortality.”
Aria added, glaring sharply at Sophia.
“I’ve mentioned it before; Yumi possessed some pieces of the mirror. I used it once, then returned it to Sophia.”
Sophia claimed she used the mirror fragments’ power to destroy Fortuna.
Certainly, if it was a ‘mirror’ that pierced through all the secrets of Room 207, it could very well dismantle Fortuna’s immortality.
But is she really dead?
One thing was sure.
Even if she were alive, she wouldn’t be in a normal state.
Because the ‘Dream Kingdom’ deemed Seungyub nonexistent.
*
“Grr! Ouch! My spine is prickling! Someone poke me! Aria, what year is it now?”
“Yawn! What time is it— Oh? Aria! Kain!”
As Grandpa Mookseong and Miro awoke!
At that moment, Aria and I exchanged deeply moved expressions as we watched them both.
How much preparation had I made to use their powers in the fourth trial!
Finally, the owner of One More Chance and the Time Giver joined the fourth trial.
“Kain! There’s so much I want to talk about and ask you—so much, so much, so much—”
“Let’s save it for later.”
“Oh wow! It’s already the 21st century? Goodness! It feels like I just had a quick nap. I wish Yumi could share these amazing technologies with the Administration Bureau.”
“Go out and tell Yumi that.”
“Do you think Yumi’s out there?”
“… Stop talking nonsense and get up. Don’t play old.”
“Hey, I’m not playing old—”
Soon, everyone shared their joys of reunion.
While chatting about various things, Sophia approached us from behind, tapping me on the shoulder.
“Um, excuse me~!”
“What’s on your mind?”
“Uh… This might surprise you, but it’s very noisy outside.”
“What?”
“Thousands of sect followers have gathered. They’re still gathering in real-time.”
I was a bit taken aback.
Up until the moment we reached Yumi’s Sleeping Maze, security had been tight, but suddenly word spread that I was here?
“Who leaked the information?”
“Dunno, the driver and attendants are all trustworthy folks…”
Even Sophia tilted her head, seemingly uncertain about where the leak came from.
The grandfather, who had been listening, simply concluded.
“Well, why not just go out and give a quick speech?”
“…”
“Why the hesitation? It’s not like it’s your first time. If you speak for a minute, the ordinary folks will be crying and dancing—”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Actually, Kain is right. Mookseong, if you go out, don’t treat Kain casually like you’ve been doing. The followers might shoot you.”
“Yikes… I’ll be careful.”
*
As we stepped out of the cave, I realized Sophia wasn’t exaggerating when she said thousands had gathered.
As soon as too many people saw me, their wild shouts erupted.
“#$%&*@!”
“@#$%!&”
“*&%%$#@ #^%$#!”
So…
Is this how I, the reincarnated Horus, should behave?
Reaching for the sky as if summoning the power of the sun, I raised my hand to invoke the divine solar energy.
Soon, the world fell silent.
A multitude of people gazed at the divine sun, seemingly entranced, and soon a significant mass of ‘faith’ began to build.
It was noisy, but not in a bad way.
Thinking of it as another chance to charge my faith like I did in Room 206—
“It’s a miracle!”
“Ah, Horus!”
“What, how is this happening?”
People suddenly burst into tears, looking up at the sky.
As if waiting for the moment, the blue sky split apart, revealing the vast universe.
It was quite the sight, like something a god descending from the heavens would conjure!
Before this unimaginable mystery that defied common sense, followers knelt and shed tears.
And I was left thinking.
“… What’s going on?”
I was totally puzzled!
What the heck is this?
Why is the sky splitting open?
— Grooooong!
From the distant heavenly realm—reachable by no foot—starlight began to pour down.
*
“Clear the veil. Show the ancient demon just how precarious this world is. Over 7,000 followers and more than 200 cameras are aimed at him right now, and he can’t possibly escape.”
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