In the serene atmosphere above the mountains, Liam floated in mid-air, gazing down below.
Around him, dozens of blazing fireballs hovered. Each one was small in size but packed with immense magical power and heat, like miniature bombs.
If even one of these were to explode, it could easily wipe out the surrounding area.
Originally developed by the Tower Master during a war against the Demon King’s Army, this area-wide explosion magic was powerful enough to blast apart even a monster’s body, which was harder than rock.
Typically, this technique wasn’t used against humans, but today would be an exception. He had already received permission, so he had no reason to hesitate.
– Begin.
As he adjusted the throwing angle of the fireballs, a refreshing voice echoed in his mind.
No matter how many times he heard it, her sweet tone always felt endearingly different from her real personality.
For over twenty years, he had heard it almost every day, yet it was a voice he never tired of. So, Liam intentionally chose not to respond.
– Liam? What are you doing?
The voice rang again, now infused with a hint of curiosity, slightly more lovably and precious than before.
“Uh….”
He was so thoroughly satisfied that a foolish grin crept onto his face. It was a common occurrence.
But since this was behavior he could get in trouble for if discovered, Liam quickly suppressed his smile and spoke up.
“Sorry. I was preparing my technique, so I couldn’t respond.”
– Is that so?
“Of course.”
– Understood. Then you may now unleash your power.
So it was finally starting.
While Liam was confident in creating havoc, he hesitated just a bit. It was due to all the nagging he had endured since arriving in this world.
“Are you sure it’s alright?”
This world strangely respected and protected even the rights of sinners who had committed wrongs.
No matter that the Burning Association or whatever had made the first move, rampaging like he did back home could result in national punishment.
Of course, he was okay with facing sanctions himself.
But…
He absolutely could not tolerate his beloved wife suffering any consequences from this incident.
“Why not look for another way right now?”
He cautiously suggested and awaited a response. Before long, a soft laugh came through.
– Why are you worrying about me?
“…I usually only worry about you, you know?”
– Don’t joke. Would someone like you really pass that humiliating video to Seo-yoon?
“…….”
He thought it would be nice for others to see how beautiful she was…
Liam swallowed the words he wanted to say, knowing it would only lead to a scolding. He then lifted the corners of his mouth.
“Anyway, I’ll start soon, so be careful.”
– Understood. Once this is all over, let’s go do something fun.
“……!”
– With Hekatrith around, Seo-yoon won’t need to take the kids out like last time. So, give it your all.
With those words overflowing with motivation, Eluke’s voice faded away.
Liam clenched and unclenched his fist for a moment in mid-air.
Then, he finally hurled one fireball toward the building nestled in the middle of the mountains.
BOOM!
With a massive explosion, the top of the building was engulfed in flames.
It remained intact, likely due to some protective ability, but that didn’t matter. He had no intention of finishing things easily.
As he prepared to launch another fireball, Liam shouted with all his might.
– I know you’re in there, you bastard!
Hwang In-goo.
The scoundrel who dared to slander and trouble his lovely wife was right down there. Liam felt a passionate desire for blood rise up within him after a long time.
“Show yourself if you don’t want to die!”
Telling him to come out didn’t mean he actually would.
This was simply a threat; a lure to draw out a strong foe that radiated an ominous energy from within the building.
“I gave you sufficient warning.”
As his low voice echoed into the air, a second fireball flew toward the building with a crash.
BOOM!
At that ear-splitting explosion, he smiled contentedly.
“Stop, Madman.”
Suddenly, a man burst out of the window of the building, flying effortlessly and stopping a short distance from Liam.
A young Hwang In, dressed in a sharp suit. His face was decent, but his disheveled hair made him appear somewhat strange.
‘Is it the hair that gives off the vibe of not being human?’
For some reason, he couldn’t pinpoint why, but there was no doubt he exuded a peculiar presence.
What could he be? The closest aide to the Burning Association’s leader?
“What are you?”
Liam asked while casually sticking his hands into his pockets, leaning slightly.
“Is dialogue really necessary? Bring it on.”
“…….”
Liam quietly stared into the strange man’s eyes, bursting into a chuckle.
“Alright then, let’s do just that.”
There was no need for conversation when it came to trading blows. It was a truth he had nearly forgotten while living diligently as a hero.
With a grin, Liam directed the fireballs at the enemy.
‘He should be able to hold out for about ten minutes, right?’
The thrill of finally meeting a ‘powerful being who doesn’t die no matter how much he’s beaten’ was more exhilarating than he had expected.
*
BOOM, BANG, BOOM!
Explosions could be heard non-stop from above. He could feel the frantic flow of mana. It seemed Liam had finally begun to go wild.
But oddly, amidst the chaotic energy of mana, there was a distinct sense of enthusiasm and zeal coming through. He seemed to be enjoying the fight more than usual.
‘Maybe it’s because I haven’t fought in a long time?’
Thinking back, Liam hadn’t had a real fight in over ten years. It was hard to find a true opponent that could engage in ‘combat’ rather than mere skirmishes.
“Liam, don’t get too excited; just enjoy it moderately.”
I smiled gently, moving forward.
The destination was the heart of this building. There was a presence of about thirty or so people gathering.
‘They must have hidden in the underground bunker.’
When Liam caused the explosions moments ago, everyone on the surface would have fled below, except for those who could take their chances outside.
Everything was just as I intended.
Liam was drawing out a strong foe, likely a returnee associated with the Burning Association, while I would quietly sneak in using a sacred spell to mask my presence.
This method was a bit more cumbersome compared to charging in blindly, but it had the advantage of catching the complacent enemies off guard.
I had various backup plans prepared for possible failures, yet the execution was embarrassingly simple. There was no tension at all.
‘They fell for such an obvious trick?’
While I wanted to believe I had just tricked them well, something felt amiss. A nagging uneasiness lingered deep in my mind.
However, confident in my ability to handle any tricks, I resolved to find Hwang In-goo.
Clearing my thoughts, I headed straight down. It was straightforward; I only needed to go where the presence of people was concentrated.
‘Is that it?’
At the bottom of the staircase awaited a large, thick gray door firmly shut. Beyond it lay the members of the Burning Association.
The door and walls looked quite thick and sturdy, but it hardly mattered. There’s no place for evil to hide under the sun.
“O warm sun, just watch over and cheer me on.”
I offered a casual prayer, clasping my hands together and gathering sacred power. A small point that began to grow larger and more intense, glowing pink.
The sacred power, condensed into a sphere, soon burst forth into flames and shot toward the entrance to the underground bunker.
Sacred Spell, Judgment’s Flame.
With a whoosh, the pink divine wrath melted right through the entrance. Yet it did not diminish its ferocity, continuing to extend forward.
“F*ck!”
“Shit!”
“Help me!”
A cacophony of multilingual curses and screams, mingled with Chinese and Korean, erupted from within. Ignoring them, I stepped into the underground bunker.
Upon entering, I found a wide space that prioritized function over aesthetics, completely engulfed in flames.
It was a small hell filled only with anguished groans and pink fire. I simply continued to walk forward.
There was no need to fear of getting caught on fire. There was no reason to pity those in torment.
The ‘Judgment’s Flame’ only burned the wicked.
“For the weak, there is bright light, and for the malevolent, a scorching fire.”
I didn’t know what the people gathered here had done wrong. I didn’t care to know.
I was simply here to judge the evil-doers of the Burning Association on behalf of the goddess who detested wrongdoing, all while also enacting revenge.
“There you are.”
As I ventured deeper into the bunker, I spotted a man sprawled on the floor, gleefully thrashing about in a lavishly decorated room.
“Are you the Hwang In-goo from the video?”
“Grrr…!”
He didn’t seem to have the strength to reply. It was only natural—the number of people who could calmly converse while being scorched alive was very few.
“Hehehe…”
But at that moment, Hwang In-goo suddenly started to smirk. His face twisted in agony, bearing a grotesque grin.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Heh… heh. You’re wilder than I expected….”
“Surprisingly aggressive despite the appearance, huh?”
“Heh, you will come to regret this! You are… playing in the palm of the leader’s hand!”
“Is that so?”
I replied indifferently and pulled out a chair to sit.
Meanwhile, Hwang In-goo leaped up, laughing maniacally. He was now sporting an expression that seemed to have shed any lingering pain.
“Did you know? Everything that happens here is being recorded. Soon, you’ll be branded as a murderer who slaughtered dozens for no reason other than feeling bad!”
“…….”
Was that the plan from the start? It was a fairly decent scheme, though it only worked for him because of his hypocrisy.
However, there was one unexpected aspect they hadn’t anticipated.
“Interesting. But do you know this?”
I smirked, crossing my legs.
“This fire only brings pain but has no lethality.”
While it boasted the power to pierce through thick concrete walls, it would serve only to inflict endless suffering upon the wicked.
‘Judgment’s Flame’ was a technique that forced them to pay for their sins with unending agony.
“…What?”
The man, who had been wildly laughing, suddenly blanked. His expression was remarkably pleasing, and the uncomfortable feelings that had weighed down my chest vanished entirely.
Watching him lose all will and become despondent, I winked.
“In the name of the goddess, I will burn away the foul hearts of you and your cult.”
It was the price he had to pay for daring to touch me.
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