Chapter 108
Splash, splash.
The ominous footsteps of the clergymen approaching could be heard even in the pelting rain. Their pointed fingers looked threatening, it was as if they could pierce through our bodies at any moment. There was no thought of ‘Should I fight?’ or ‘Should I run?’ when we saw them. There was only fear.
When I stormed the Satanists’ hideout to save Ji-Ah, I saw numerous taxidermied creatures. However, I didn't feel scared because they were fakes made by sewing together the skins of the dead to resemble humans. Despite their grotesque appearance, they had only been discomforting, not terrifying.
"Why would you break the glass?"
"I can't understand. This is why kids these days..."
"Of all people, the Florence Academy? Again?"
"People from the Florence Academy are all arrogant. All the people I hated were from there."
The figures approaching me now were clearly humans. Just moments ago, people who had been talking and even laughing with each other lost their sanity and gained hatred through the influence of the Satanists' black magic.
Hatred made them curse and attacked each other with the intent to kill. And now, their fingers were pointed at us. Their abstract hatred for us started to turn more concrete. Alongside discomfort, fear arose. Their hatred controlled where they went. Watching them act driven by anger, I began to wonder how different I was from them.
[Don't worry. The mere black magic of a Satanist has no power over the Prophet,] Legba said.
He was right. Carrying dozens of Loa on my back, I couldn't be affected by black magic even if I wanted to. However, fear prevailed in my heart. I unconsciously took a step back.
Thump.
Something got caught on my heel. I turned my head and saw Ha-Yeon crouched down, trembling. She was petite to begin with, but crouching made her appear even smaller. Due to the downpour of rain courtesy of Dan Wedo, her body was completely drenched. I snapped to my senses when I saw her in that state.
"..."
I was the one who had grabbed Ha-Yeon when she was about to turn back. I believed that as a member of the purification clan, she would be able to dismantle the pentagram. Up until now, I had been annoyed when she had tried to offer me help when I didn’t ask for it. But this time, I had clearly been the one to ask for her help.
At the very least, I had to take responsibility for that. Now was not the time to be shackled by fear. I had to prevent the Satanist's black magic from spreading any further.
The Satanist would hope for the demonic energy flowing from the pentagram to spread throughout the village, causing confusion on a regional scale. Perhaps even the fear I felt was intended by the Satanist. I couldn't let things go the way they desired.
No, I didn't want to let things go the way they desired. In order to do that, Ha-Yeon had to dismantle the black magic first. However, the situation was not in our favor. The clergymen were gathering around us, ready to attack at any moment. Right now, the priority was to create a situation where Ha-Yeon could dismantle the black magic.
"..."
What if I protected Ha-Yeon so she could cast the blessing of purification and dismantle the black magic?
It was possible. No, it wasn't just possible. If Ha-Yeon and I faithfully carried out our respective roles, then the plan would definitely succeed. First, I couldn’t use any Voodoo spells. I wasn’t sure whether spells would work on those who had completely lost their sanity, and above all, Ha-Yeon was here. As a member of the purification clan, she was immune to spells. I couldn’t take the easy way by using the curse of fainting on her, and I couldn’t use other spells without getting caught.
I glanced up at the sky. The moon was almost full. It was past its first quarter, thus nearing a full moon. The moon would be completely full the day after tomorrow... No, maybe in three days' time. I couldn’t use their power when it wasn't a full moon, so I gave up. I needed to find another Loa whom I could borrow power from.
[I, Sobo, have sworn allegiance to the Prophet! How about using this opportunity to test my loyalty?]
Sobo was not an option. The floor was drenched due to Dan Wedo's power. If I used Sobo's power, I might end up killing all the clergymen under the influence of the black magic. Moreover, I could endanger myself if I made a mistake, not to mention putting Ha-Yeon’s life at risk as well. After all, members of the purification clan were immune to all impurities, not electric shocks.
Then, Bossou? No, there was too much water on the floor. I could slip and trip over my own feet. There were too many variables right now for a hand-to-hand combat situation.
Granbwa was also not an option. The Holy See had classified the unidentified phenomenon that occurred in Mount Taebaek as a provocation by the Voodoo Cult. Considering the current situation, if I used Granbwa's power, I’d risk raising suspicion. Although there were no CCTV cameras in this alley, I had to consider the surveillance cameras attached to the Paladin Order’s cars.
I needed to buy Ha-Yeon time to draw the purification blessing array, but I also needed a power that was not strong enough to kill the clergymen and not raise unwanted attention...
“Bade.”
Whoooooo...
A strong wind blew. The wind passed through narrow alleys and windows of houses, making a trumpet-like sound. The rainwater rose up to one’s ankles and splashed in the wind, creating waves.
Splash.
Half of the waves hit the utility pole and disappeared. The wind blew again, putting more strength into the wave.
Splash.
The waves clashed with the wind and grew in size. The wind was blowing, and the waves were rising up. Rainwater and wind merged with the wave, turning it into a tsunami.
"Why did you break the—?"
Splooooosh—!
The clergymen, muttering and winding up for a punch, were swept away by the fierce tsunami. Four clergymen were consecutively engulfed by the tsunami.
Splash!
The clergymen flew back from the impact, splashing water everywhere. The water droplets scattered chaotically and splashed on my face. I roughly wiped the moisture off my face with my palm.
I had overcome the immediate problem at hand. The clergymen seemed hesitant to approach me due to the tsunami’s power. Next up was to give instructions to Ha-Yeon, who still seemed disoriented.
Tap, tap.
"Ugh, ah..."
Ha-Yeon brushed off the water that had splashed over her. She finally seemed to regain some composure and looked up at me. I grabbed her arm and pointed to the woman lying on the floor.
"Finish what you were doing while I buy you some time."
"Yes, um, yes...!" Ha-Yeon barely managed to answer while wiping water off her lips.
After she unleashed her divine power, she stretched her fingertips into the air. The scattered divine power gradually took shape, but it was still too crude to be called a blessing array.
"Not only did you break the glass..."
"Why are you trying so hard to make our lives miserable? What did we ever do to you..."
"It's not us who did wrong. It's you..."
The clergymen swept away by the tsunami, and the lucky ones who managed to avoid the tsunami slowly opened their eyes one by one. Their hatred had worsened.
I caught a glimpse of Ha-Yeon. The blessing array was still incomplete. Judging by her speed, it seemed like it would take a lot longer for her to finish.
‘Sung Yu-Da supposedly dismantled the black magic circle and expelled the demonic energy in just a few seconds...’
No, I shook my head and dismissed my stray thoughts.
Comparing Ha-Yeon and Sung Yu-Da would not change anything. Ha-Yeon was by my side right now, not Sung Yu-Da. I had to buy some more time. However, what concerned me was the surveillance cameras attached to the Paladin Order’s cars. There were too many eyes for me to comfortably use the Loa’s power.
"...In the name of the Father, the Son..."
Therefore, I decided to pretend to replicate a miracle. I carefully followed the steps I had learned at Florence Academy to replicate a miracle. I might not be a follower of the Romanican Church, but I still remembered every small detail from the lessons that I took at Florence Academy. Even if I couldn't actually replicate a miracle, I should be able to imitate one well enough.
"...and the na- name..."
[You should tap the left shoulder first,] Legba interjected and scolded me.
Oh, right. I was so distracted that I unknowingly tapped my right shoulder first. Whatever. The god I served wouldn’t send me to hell just because I didn't draw the sign of the cross in the correct order.
"...of the Holy Spirit,'' I continued to pretend.
I finished drawing the sign of the cross, clasped my hands, and pretended to pray. Soon afterward, I used the Blessing of Superhuman Strength to scatter divine power throughout my body. I spread the light of blessing from my fingertips to my arms, and then throughout the whole body. At first glance, it would have seemed believable that I was trying to replicate a miracle.
And then, I reached out.
Shooaaaahhhh......
The first gust of wind blew, but it started off weak. The rain-soaked floor began to spin like a whirlpool. The approaching clergymen started to stumble over their own feet.
Thud, thud.
Their steps seemed to be heavier and seemed to stick to the ground.
The second gust of wind blew.
Thud, thud, thud...... The whirlpool grew taller. Scattered raindrops lashed against the floor. The fallen raindrops pierced holes through the accumulated rainwater on the pavement, only for those new holes to be filled with more rain.
The clergymen swayed as the whirlpool pushed them around.
Splash!
One paladin lost balance and fell. Following them, two priests tripped over the fallen paladin's arm and fell to the ground.
The third gust of wind blew.
Shhwaaaaa–!
The wind-soaked rain eventually merged with the rain itself. All the clergymen surrounding us were swept away by the whirlpool. The rainwater that had accumulated on the floor scattered and gathered in the wind. The clergymen collided with each other and screamed in agony, but the screams were faint amidst the deafening noise created by the whirlwind.
The fourth gust of wind blew.
────!
Their screams could no longer be heard. The roaring water and wind carried them up into the sky. The spout seemed to know no bounds, continuing to advance higher into the sky, eventually touching the clouds. The spout was like a pillar that planted itself into the ground and held the sky up as if to prevent it from collapsing.
The wind, which had grown uncontrollably large, finally swallowed me as well. I got sucked in and became one with the wind. From the eye of the storm created by Bade's power, I slowly ascended into the sky. Within the spout, the clergymen tangled and entwined, then scattered once again. They had long lost consciousness.
Fortunately, Ha-Yeon was not swept away by the wind, but the results were a lot more powerful than I had expected.
[The storm... always strikes four times!]
Bade seemed to be quite satisfied with the spectacle.
***
Ha-Yeon had searched her memory and almost completed the drawing of the blessing array of purification. Only one stroke remained. Ha-Yeon's fingertips stopped, and her anxious eyes darted left and right.
"..."
Ha-Yeon couldn't remember the final stroke of the blessing array. If even one stroke was wrong, it would be impossible to dismantle the pentagram.
Cutting her flesh was also a problem. It seemed like it would hurt, but what stopped Ha-Yeon was that she just couldn’t muster the courage to cut herself. Just bringing the glass bottle to her palm made her dizzy, and she found it hard to breathe.
────!!
At that moment, a gale swept the area. The clergymen were swept away by the wind and water. The gale, which had now transformed into a spout, even swept up the person who had replicated the miracle: Sun-Woo.
"Uh, ah...." Ha-Yeon let out a gasp upon seeing that sight.
The wind was fierce, and the water was treacherous, making it impossible for Ha-Yeon to open her eyes properly. Naturally, she had no idea of what was happening within the storm. Gradually, a sense of dread surged from within her.
"Uh, what do I do? What should I do, ah...."
Inept clergymen not skilled in replicating miracles often lost their lives from being swept away by the miracles they summoned. This was divine punishment that struck down those arrogant, unworthy clergymen. It was the pitiful end that Adonai bestowed upon those who dared to recreate his miracles with their mortal hands.
Sun-Woo should have been aware of this fact. He had experienced the consequences of replicating a miracle beyond his control in the past. He vomited blood and ended up in the hospital. At that time, Sun-Woo must have caught a glimpse of death. Sun-Woo should know what the drawbacks of replicating a miracle beyond his abilities were better than anyone else.
Nevertheless, when Sun-Woo walked into the storm, there was a look of remarkable determination on his face. That was the expression of someone prepared to die. To save the clergymen who had fallen into the clutches of the Satanist's black magic and to buy time for her to dismantle the black magic, he had willingly replicated a miracle that far exceeded his capabilities. Even if it meant his body would be torn to shreds in the wind, he was determined to save the clergymen.
Ha-Yeon looked at the incomplete purification blessing array, recalling Sun-Woo's final expression as the storm sucked him in. Her hand holding the broken glass bottle trembled.
"..."
Although Sun-Woo had given up his life to save the clergymen, all she could do was hesitate. She had never experienced failure in her life. Due to this, she considered herself a genius. She believed she had a brilliant talent that no other clergyman could ever come close to.
But she was wrong. She was simply afraid of failure and never attempted a challenge that she might fail. In reality, she was nothing more than a coward who feared completing the final stroke of the blessing array and drawing a single drop of blood in order to purify the pentagram.
What on earth was she thinking?
She reminisced about the days when she was intoxicated with superiority. Sun-Woo believed in her. He believed that she could purify the pentagram while he bought her time, but that was too much for her. No, she was too shallow of a vessel to fully receive his trust.
“...I'm sorry.” Ha-Yeon's small voice was drowned out by the roaring wind.
It was an apology for not yet completing the blessing of purification. And it was also Ha-Yeon making up her mind before drawing the last stroke she wasn’t sure about.
Sprak!
She drew the final stroke of the blessing array with her fingertip, based purely on what felt right. She cut her palm with a glass bottle. The wound was deeper than she thought, but it didn't matter.
Fresh crimson blood poured out from the wound. Light flowed from the blood-soaked blessing array. The light was much brighter and denser than the usual light of blessing.
The light engulfed the pentagram engraved on the woman's nape, devouring the darkness. The pitch-black darkness mixed and merged with the light. The brilliant and sublime light finally drove away the darkness.
The black tears flowing from the woman's eyes gradually cleared up. The black foam flowing from her mouth stopped, along with her tears. Finally, the dark clouds cleared, and the rain stopped.
And the storm ceased.
The whirlpool that had touched the sky disappeared instantly. The mountain breeze blew gently, and the clergymen fluttering in the wind settled softly like feathers on the ground. All the clergymen were unconscious.
However, one person remained conscious, and he stood among the clergymen. After riding the wind and gracefully landing on the ground, he looked at Ha-Yeon.
"Well done," he said.
His voice felt warm.
At least, that was how Ha-Yeon felt.
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