Chapter 130.2
With the help of the light that had poured down from the skies, the tide of the battle completely shifted. The scouting team handcuffed the fallen mercenaries, and the rifle squad loaded rubber bullets and aimed at the remaining mercenaries who had not yet been subdued.
"Oh Hee-Jin! Did you request support from the rescue team?"
"Yes, they will be here soon!"
Waaaaanng—!
A siren rang as a vehicle from the Paladin Order arrived promptly, and the rescue team flooded out of the vehicle. The assault team loaded the subdued mercenaries into the vehicle while the rescue team loaded the injured paladins who were not yet healed by the light that had poured down from the sky.
The movements of the paladins were strict and disciplined. Han Dae-Ho's training sessions, which had not yielded any results in battle, were finally coming to light.
One of the rescue team members carrying the wounded shouted urgently, "Director! Over here...!"
Han Dae-Ho quickly regained his senses and approached the rescue team member. A middle-aged man was kneeling on the ground and vomiting blood. His nose was bleeding, and tears of blood were streaming down his face. Blood was pouring out of every orifice in his body, including his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
"...Chairman!"
The middle-aged man was Chang-Won. He had held the position of director of the Central Priest Order as an archbishop-level priest, but due to health reasons, he suddenly announced his retirement. The unused divine power in Chang-Won's fingertips emitted light as it dissipated.
Han Dae-Ho belatedly realized that the light that poured down from the sky during the battle was from the blessing arrays and healing arrays that Chang-Won had drawn. This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com
"Cough, wheeze...."
"Rescue team! Gather personnel capable of providing emergency treatment! There is a critically ill patient!"
"Ah, no. It's okay, I'm fine. Send the students... to the hos- hospital...!" Chang-Won said as blood continued to pour out.
"Yes, understood! Everything is fine, so please leave the rest to us!" Han Dae-Ho said while nodding his head.
What he was trying to say was that they needed to prioritize taking care of the students and patients at the hospital over taking care of him. Two rescue team members rushed over and put Chang-Won in the car, which immediately headed to the hospital.
Chang-Won had a constitution where the drawbacks of excessively using divine power were much greater than other people. It was also because of this damned constitution that he had to step down from his position as the head of the Central Priest Order. While Chang-Won was being taken to the hospital by car, he lamented and immersed himself in self-loathing for being unable to protect the school until the end.
After roughly completing the arrest of the mercenaries and the treatment of the injured, Han Dae-Ho looked towards Florence Academy. Dark clouds loomed over the tall spire that was in the main building. A storm raged, and thunder and lightning filled the air. Florence Academy was a school that shone brightly under the light but looked gloomy under the darkness.
"Rescue team, go to the hospital. Recon team, search the wall and escort any injured individuals found at the gate. There may be people who have been affected by the demonic energy that is lurking at the wall. Rifle squad, protect the rescue team. Assault team, come with me."
Paladins lined up at Han Dae-Ho's command. Within their eyes that were filled with fear was a faint ray of light.
As all the paladins looked toward Han Dae-Ho with determination, Han Dae-Ho said, "Forward."
***
"Do-Jin," Bok-Dong said.
No, to be more precise, it was a taxidermied creature that was in the form of Bok-Dong that spoke. Do-Jin’s face contained a smile that was covered in blood as he lifted up his sword and looked down at the fallen taxidermied creature. His smile of resignation and despair sank down and faded away, just like the blood that dripped down his face.
"Do-Jin. I made a mistake. Please save me."
"Save you... Haha..."
The voice of the taxidermied creature speaking sorrowfully was exactly the same as Bok-Dong's voice, without a single difference in pitch, tone, or manner of speaking. However, the contents of the words were different.
Do-Jin raised his sword and stabbed the fallen taxidermied creature's head.
Crack!
A hole was pierced through the taxidermied creature's head. Sawdust sprayed out onto Do-Jin's face, and bits of cotton popped out through the gap and trickled out. Do-Jin had an indifferent expression on his face as he killed the taxidermied creature that resembled his long-time friend.
While stabbing and poking the taxidermied creature's head, Do-Jin did not feel discomfort. Instead, he felt wrath.
Crack.
The tree branch made a dry sound as it snapped. The sound spread through the trees and resounded out. The mountains were filled with demonic energy. Every time I inhaled, my throat felt scratchy, and my head became dizzy. I was running through Eiden Hill.
"That box is the objective of the Satanists and also the objective of the Elders."
When I had used Granbwa's power on Eiden Hill, I had seen a box that was buried deep within Eiden Hill.
Baron Samedi had said that the box was the objective of Satanists and the elders. I had no idea what was inside the box. I just had a strong feeling that he would be where the box was.
The screams that had echoed through the sacred training ground and the collapsed training center. And the broadcast that had threatened to blow up the hospital. The mercenaries that had been blocking the gate.
The sacred training ground, training center, and hospital were buildings completely opposite Eiden Hill. He had been luring me away so that I wouldn’t be able to disturb him.
I recalled the location of the box from my memories. Occasionally, there were taxidermied creatures nailed to the trees on display. Some depicted the images of a child and a mother or the grotesque depiction of a newborn being born. There were also taxidermied creatures with ropes around their necks as if inciting people to commit suicide. Thanks to the taxidermied creatures, finding the way was actually easier.
As I neared my destination, I recalled Ha-Yeon's words.
"That person came directly to our house two days ago at night. They came to say thank you for that incident."
"...What time was it?"
"Around eight o'clock... I think."
Yesterday evening, he treated us to a meal and headed toward Ha-Yeon's residence. Ha-Yeon had said that she had been taken aback and had failed to hide her scars in time due to the sudden visit to her house. She added that he may have seen her scars that time.
Rather than the fact that he may have seen it, he definitely saw it for sure. He knew what clothes In-Ah usually wore. It was obvious. After all, he had been friends with her for two years, and they had been classmates.
He hadn’t encountered Jin-Seo, so he didn’t figure out that she had been wearing the rosary that I had given her. After the training center burned down and disappeared, they didn't have any more sparring sessions.
"..."
Within the dark and heavy demonic energy, we faced each other and recognized each other clearly, even from a significant distance.
The gaze in his eyes as he looked at me was dimmer and hazier than usual. The school uniform he casually wore had lost its original color and turned completely black as if soaked in demonic energy.
It was Jun-Hyuk.
"Ah..." he sighed.
With black tears streaming down from his eyes, he raised his finger. A sharp and elongated index finger that didn’t look human was pointed towards me.
Thunder and lightning struck down sporadically, and a storm raged. The taxidermied creatures hanging from the trees chewed through the ropes with their teeth.
Thump, thump...
The wet sound of the taxidermied creature's footsteps on the mountain that was soaked by rain was familiar. They revealed their sharp teeth as they approached me. All of them had twisted and broken necks that were dangling loosely. Jun-Hyuk directed the taxidermied creatures coming toward me with a cold expression on his face.
The image that I had seen until now of him smiling foolishly and cheerfully whenever he greeted me had all been a lie.
Surrounded by a pitch-black demonic energy, he stared at me with eyes even darker than the demonic energy. He was not a student of Florence Academy but a Satanist—a Satanist who held two of the Seven Deadly Sins of Envy and Pride.
[Cult leader of the Voodoo Cult or a student of Florence Academy.]
Despite not meaning to do so, I recalled Ogun’s voice. The taxidermied creatures approached me, and I approached Jun-Hyuk.
"Ogun, Loa of Iron and War, please reside within me."
As I called out Ogun’s name, vibrations spread out in all directions. As Ogun arrived, the speakers and scattered iron pieces installed throughout Eiden Hill vibrated as if trembling in fear.
Clang, clang, clang!
The iron pieces screamed in agony. The sky roared out after a flash of lightning, but the wailing of the iron pieces that were spread across the land drowned the sound out.
Grateful for the rain, I forcefully opened my stubbornly closed mouth. Looking toward Ogun, who was surely watching me from somewhere, I said, "As the Cult Leader and Prophet of the Voodoo Cult, I implore you."
For the first time in this place, we faced each other as our true selves.