◈ Episode 544. If They Are Gods, I Am (1)
Guyver did not hide his madness.
A heresy that denied God.
The death of Hamed had been officially announced within the Church.
“Is, is it true?”
Amidst the crazed shouts.
The Bohemian players were in disarray.
They couldn’t believe it.
“Isn’t this some kind of operation or something?”
“An operation?”
“Yes, yes, an operation so secretive that they’d have to fool even us. It doesn’t make sense, doesn’t it? How long have you two been together…….”
“No. Stop running away from reality and face it.”
Long flowing hair.
Shaking his head, the player said.
“What do you think we have to gain by spreading false rumors of Hamed’s death? At best, internal cohesion within the Church, and you think this group of fanatics needs such a cause?”
From the moment the doors of the Pantheon opened, the voices of the gods were heard.
It was boiling water before.
Their faith could not soar any higher than 100 percent.
“……No.”
Still, in disbelief, they ask.
“Then why, then, why did Guild Master call Vice Guild Master…….?”
“He announced it himself.”
“What……?”
“That Hamed was a heretic.”
“!”
I had to admit, I had to admit.
“I don’t know what happened, but maybe he’s not the Guyver we know anymore. Maybe he’s become a true paladin, a man of faith rather than a Bohemian, who follows only God.”
Now I had to be sober.
“Well, then, what are we supposed to do?”
“Running away now would be…….”
“Are you crazy? Remember what happened to Hamed.”
In the middle of a group of fanatics.
Anyone who does anything to be labeled a heretic will be executed.
The player smiles bitterly.
“Even if we miraculously survive this fanatic group, will they be on our side? After betraying Lee Hoyeol, and sticking with Raymon Sean, have we become traitors to humanity?”
Park Minjae.
Press conference by the head of the AAU Korea Branch.
There were no loopholes in his logic.
“……God is shit.”
Even if it was a revelation from the Goddess of the Arcana continent.
Not everyone in the real world would agree with it.
They didn’t even fully believe in themselves in the first place.
“Glory to the Great Goddess!”
“More heretical blood!”
“We will prove our faith to all the Gods!”
As opposed to the fanatical faith spreading through the Church.
More and more.
The faces of the Bohemian Guild members, dark with despair.
“Is there any way we can save ourselves, senior?”
“There is one thing, something you can hope for.”
“What is that?!”
Lee Hoyol’s name pops into my head again.
But I soon shook it off.
I still had a conscience.
The player opened his mouth.
“Contacting another Church.”
“What if it’s another Church……?”
“Technically, one whose madness hasn’t spread yet.”
It’s not called the Pantheon for nothing.
Aside from the Goddesses, there were many gods on the Arcana Continent.
It’s just that there are greater and lesser powers.
Some players chose to be the head of the snake rather than the tail of the dragon.
“Perhaps there are other players in the same predicament as us, and it would be best if we could make contact with them at this gathering point, unite with them, and come up with an alternative.”
“Ohhh……!”
“I’m not holding out much hope, actually.”
Guyver has changed.
Judging by his behavior, it was probably vain to hope that the players associated with the Gods would be unharmed, but we had to try everything we could.
The players gritted their teeth.
‘We have no more mercy from Lee Hoyeol.’
He checked the time.
“It’s almost time for the smaller denominations to arrive.”
Including the God of War, whom Guyver serves.
The God of Fate, the God of Bug, the God of Amusement, …….
and dozens of others we haven’t even mentioned.
They’re converging on the Bohemian Hideout, their first rallying point.
“…….”
There was silence.
The Guild Master, Guyver, and all the members of the Bohemian Guild except for the deceased Hamed stood stiffly, waiting for the final word.
Someone spoke up.
“……Wait, how much time has passed?”
He was right.
The promised time had already passed.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
“Is this a betrayal? Or, did he change his mind at this point?
No, probably neither.
Even if they were to back out now.
It was just abandonment from both sides.
There was only one possibility then.
“They can’t get it together in time.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Something happened that prevented us from getting together.”
“……!!!”
Update.
Since then, there have been many cults that have come to wield near-omnipotent divine power.
But there was no force that would stand in their way.
Not even the Holy War Alliance.
Unless they’re willing to deploy a world-shaking force…….
“No way.”
He’d forgotten.
The name.
The figure reappeared in his mind.
“…… Lee Hoyeol?”
.
.
.
Hikari, the man who wanted to be the head of the snake, laughed.
“It’s been a long, long time of persecution.”
Apostle of the God of Disease.
Just to serve.
A trashy hidden class with a lot of debuffs.
But the trials have made him shine even brighter now.
So.
“But from now on, my path is a new one.”
Sun in a rat hole.
The Pantheon Update.
The light was dazzling.
“I mean it.”
Hikari looks at the status window, ecstatic. To briefly summarize the contents of the status window, Hikari could say that his power had increased several times with this update.
[Contagion: 101]
The biggest change was that his class-specific stat, [Contagious Power], had broken through the one hundred mark. Sreung. Hikari lightly stretched out his hand, and all the life around him began to lose its light.
An endlessly renewed message.
[You have become the host of the target].
[You have become the host of the target].
[You have become the host of the target]…….
When people think of disease, they think of a status abnormalities.
But it was the ‘God’ of disease.
It was natural that it would be different from the usual status abnormalities.
“Do you know.”
Hikari whispered, stroking the blades of grass.
“It means I can control your breathing as I please.”
Sssssss.
The blades of grass covered in red spots.
The power gained from the opening of the Pantheon.
Hikari reminded himself of his newfound power.
[Mother of Disease (Master): Infects a target to become a host; can cause any disease desired in those under its control].
Madness flashed across Hikari’s face.
“It is all thanks to your care, my god.”
The madness had a definite purpose.
“I will spread your name far and wide.”
The only believer in the god of disease was himself.
That was why Hikari was headed to the Bohemian hideout where they were gathering.
There.
“Your disease deserves to be revered……!”
To the faithful of other denominations.
Hikari was determined to spread the greatness of the Disease God.
But it was all for nothing more than his own petty desires.
Hikari sank to his knees in a heap on the floor.
“But I will obey your will.”
God of Disease.
If it is not your will.
If you wish to avoid offending the Gods.
I will suppress my desires.
Instead.
“I will spread your greatness to those who oppose the Pantheon.”
He closes his eyes.
Then he waits.
For the living God of Disease to respond.
Then.
“……My God?”
It’s too quiet.
Could God have been away for a moment? That could not be. He was omnipotent, not a mortal like himself. A God who could answer my call, anytime, anywhere.
“No, that can’t be……?”
Puzzlement.
Hikari’s words trailed off.
Suddenly, he felt an unpleasant sensation behind him.
“?!”
It was a blade of grass.
Leaves that should have been crushed without a trace by their own disease were still breathing. No, beyond that, the red spots were fading.
“What……?”
And a wedge was driven in.
It didn’t lie.
A system message came to mind.
[Enhanced stats change to original values].
[Contagiousness: 28]
“……!”
What it meant was simple.
The bond between him and the God of Disease had been severed.
Things were finally starting to make sense.
He understood why he couldn’t hear that voice anymore.
But the question remained.
“After all, there is no reason for you to abandon me, is there?”
No wonder the shallow faith turned to hatred.
[Status Abnormality, ‘Fanatic’ is cleared].
Hikari’s face contorted as he stood up.
“You sound like a God. It was bullshit in the first place!”
Hikari blurted out for a moment.
Hikari clamped his mouth shut.
No matter how angry he was, his opponent was a living god.
‘……Damn it, even in death, I have nothing to say!’
Blasphemy.
He might be angered by the wrath of the God of Disease.
Maybe he would die of a terrible disease.
Hikari’s face went white and trembled.
“……?”
No matter how much time passed, nothing changed in his body.
Hikari muttered a few times, cursing the God of Disease, just in case.
Nothing changed.
“I’m not abandoned……?”
The disease God hadn’t abandoned him.
Something was wrong with the God of Disease.
But I still didn’t understand.
‘Who could harm the God of Disease in the Pantheon?’
Even the insignificant God of Disease has omnipotent powers.
Including Goddess.
The Pantheon was the place where the most powerful gathered.
“Who on earth created the Pantheon…”
A name popped into Hikari’s head as he thought.
‘…… What if it’s Hoyeol?’
Hikari looked up at the sky in surprise.
“Really, you’re fighting God……?”
.
.
.
The Goddess Church.
Holy Land.
Muon.
“Everything’s ready, Saintess.”
Beautifully attired.
She wore a saint’s battle robe, an appropriate mix of priestly robes and plate armor. Her hand stroked the holy sword at her waist. The touch was unfamiliar, but it was good.
‘You will lead me.’
Freyja thought.
Saintess.
Still not used to it.
Such a burdensome title.
……Burrrr.
She was shivering.
Talim’s plea echoed in her head.
The voices of the paladins.
And finally, the last, deep, dark streak.
‘If I were alone.’
I would not have made the decision.
To burn the Infinitely Deep Darkness.
Without fully trusting the revelation of the Goddess.
‘……It is what it is.’
The Infinitely Deep Darkness, Lee Hoyeol.
What he’s done so far.
He was so merciful that he could have been a living God.
But.
‘I am not mistaken.’
Freyja.
You are but a tool.
A vessel for the Goddess’ will.
Repeating this to herself, Freyja walked on.
The priest speaks to her.
“Everyone is waiting for you, Saintess.”
“I see.”
She knows what is expected of her.
To prove herself worthy of the Goddess before she sets out.
As she enters the cathedral, she sees her brothers and sisters preparing to leave.
What is left at the end of this war.
For a moment, Freyja wondered.
But she soon regained her saintly self.
……Yes.
The Goddess’ will is what matters.
I am but a vessel.
Sick of it
She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together in prayer.
A prayer to the Goddess.
For my lack and foolishness.
To teach me, who cannot understand your will.
But.
“…….”
Freyja opened her closed eyes.
She realized that she possessed a divine power beyond that of the average believer.
She could feel it immediately.
The priests asked.
“Are you all right, Saintess?”
Freyja blurted out.
“The Goddess is not answering my prayers.”
“What do you mean?”
“……Pantheon.”
“What do you mean, the Pantheon?”
“It seems that the Gods of the Pantheon are in danger.”
*.
“I told you.”
A voice from the entrance of the Pantheon.
“I’m done with the godhood now.”
I sacrificed the Godhood I craved so much.
Now I’m not even a demigod.
Still, I didn’t feel bad.
He had fools with him who deserved worse.
“I never thought this Rockid would side with a fucking bastard.”
A gruff voice.
The appearance of.
The greatest shadow on the Arcana continent.
The former Shadow Mercenaries.
Kichi looked around the enterance of the Pantheon.
“It was worth it to re-sign.”
You mean I can definitely kill those obstacles with my own hands, right?
“Well, I shouldn’t have touched it in the first place.”
The Infinitely Deep Darkness.
My savior and theirs at the same time.
And.
“The great leader of our Akshans.”