Chapter 90
So, had I actually become a god or what?
First, my current Divine Authority...
[Divine Authority]: 231
It had been gradually rising from the initial 200.
So, 231.
Of course, I still didn't know how to use it...
No, I didn't even know what it was, so I hadn't used it.
Since it was divine power, I was a little afraid something catastrophic might happen if I messed with it.
I hadn't expected a use to come up this out of the blue, though.
... The problem is, it takes a whopping 100 to make someone a Church Guardian Knight?
And what happens if I use Divine Authority and he stabs me in the back?
Do I just lose it?
I still didn't know what it was worth or how efficient it was, but I didn't want to waste it like that.
Let's find out what it is before deciding.
First, the Church Guardian Knight.
[Church Guardian Knight]
─The sole holy knight who represents the Church. The only one permitted by God to act on His behalf and wield Divine Authority. This rank can only be maintained through powerful faith in the god they serve. A Guardian Knight who loses faith will have their rank revoked, and the Divine Authority bestowed upon them will be reclaimed.
This rank can only be obtained by being granted Divine Authority.
[Senior Holy Knight]
─The powerful holy knights who form the backbone of the Church. They wield even greater divine power. However, their faith is still not firmly set. They may turn to another god at any time, and if they do, the Divine Authority bestowed upon them will not be reclaimed.
They can obtain this rank through their own faith without being granted Divine Authority. In that case, the faith they have accumulated will be directed toward the god they choose to serve, forming Divine Authority.
[Regular Holy Knight]
─The holy knights who form the foundation of the Church. They wield divine power. Their faith is not firmly set, so they easily seek out other gods. If they turn to another god, the Divine Authority bestowed upon them will not be reclaimed.
They can obtain this rank through their own faith without being granted Divine Authority. In that case, the faith they have accumulated will be directed toward the god they choose to serve, forming Divine Authority.
“.....”
Why don't I understand any better even after reading the descriptions?
But one thing was certain...
The Church Guardian Knight rank, which I thought was the riskiest...
Was actually the least risky?
If the Guardian Knight stabbed me in the back, the Divine Authority would be reclaimed.
There was no such reclaim clause for the other holy knight ranks.
Then, since I had nothing to lose, should I grant it to him?
He's North Korea's strongest Hunter... He should earn his keep.
[100 Divine Authority will be used to appoint ‘Lee Seong-hyeok’ as the Church Guardian Knight.]
[The Church has no name. Please choose a name.]
... Shit, they're making me do the hardest part.
How did it know I had no knack for naming things?
Still, I couldn't exactly call it something like the Germ Church.
Uh, um... what should I call it?
I'm a necromancer who rules the microscopic world, so Microb... no, that doesn't sound right.
No matter how hard I thought, nothing came to mind. What should I do?
After thinking it over...
[In accordance with the will of the Church's founder, ‘(provisional) Germ Church’ has been temporarily assigned as the Church's name.]
[The name can be changed at any time, but changing it may cause faith to plummet depending on public recognition.]
The Germ Church.
Good grief... It's provisional, so I'll let it slide for now.
I absolutely have to come up with a proper name.
I can't start a religion with a name like this.
No, come to think of it, I wasn't planning to announce it to anyone or expand the faith massively anyway.
Maybe I should just wing it?
Just as all sorts of complicated thoughts were passing through my mind...
[Crusader ‘Lee Seong-hyeok’ has become the first Church Guardian Knight of the ‘Germ Church.’]
[100 Divine Authority has been consumed.]
[His faded faith has found an object and is rapidly recovering.]
[Lee Seong-hyeok's faith is establishing your authority.]
[Divine Authority has increased by 83.]
Oh. I spent 100, but got 83 back.
But...
Did it actually work?
**
This man was the true god.
Lee Seong-hyeok sensed it.
Even if he wasn't a god, it didn't matter.
He'd worshiped even a dictator who did nothing but exploit the people and fatten himself as a god under the pretext of ‘Juche ideology.’
Compared to him, the man before his eyes, who had healed illness with a finger and protected him from danger...
was more than worthy of being called a god.
‘Comrade Kim Segyun... no, Great Comrade Kim Segyun, was it?’
The name was a little strange, but...
Hunters' abilities might have no limits, but his powers were definitely special.
He'd seen Hunters all across North Korea, but never anyone like Kim Segyun...
And at the moment his faith found an object...
Kim Segyun stood there with his mouth hanging open, dazed.
But only for a moment...
[You have been appointed the Church Guardian Knight of the ‘Germ Church.’]
[Your faded faith has found an object and been fully restored.]
[The Church Guardian Knight-exclusive skill ‘Miracle’ has been granted.]
[Miracle]
Description: A basic skill exclusive to Church Guardian Knights, allowing them to act on behalf of God and use divine power. God's permission is required, and the power used varies depending on the extent of the miracle.
It seemed like he had gained some sort of skill, and the Church's name was a little strange, too...
But for now, he had no time to pay attention to that.
“Heh...”
The power he'd completely lost was returning.
More than returning...
A power even greater than his original divine power was surging through him.
Since his strength had been enhanced by divine power, his shrunken muscles swelled like balloons, too.
They weren't just balloon-like; they were truly dense muscles.
He'd decided to serve him as a god, but...
He hadn't expected to actually receive such a blessing.
Come to think of it, aside from becoming materially prosperous, he'd never received any help with his abilities as a holy knight of Juche ideology.
But now...
‘Could this man...’
Really...
With all those feelings in his heart,
Lee Seong-hyeok bowed deeply and shouted loud enough to make the plain echo.
“I bow to Great Comrade Kim Segyun! Long live Great Comrade Kim Segyun!”
**
After Lee Seong-hyeok's defection, North Korea ramped up its denunciations through every diplomatic and official channel.
Not only all sorts of false rumors, but personal attacks so vicious that they could hardly be mistaken for statements from a government.
[The puppet regime's leader, Kang Min-guk, must immediately repatriate the traitor Lee Seong-hyeok to the Republic!]
[The Hunters of the puppet regime who destroyed the Republic's fighter jets must also be held accountable and sent back north!]
[If these demands are not met, we will show you the terror of the Republic's nuclear artillery shells!]
Beep. President Kang Min-guk turned off the TV, pressed his right temple, and spoke.
“... I knew they were crazy, but I didn't know they were this uncivilized...”
Vulgar, blunt speech, as if they'd thrown out all the diplomatic language befitting a nation.
“I recommend raising the alert level of the entire military by one stage.”
At the Minister of National Defense's words, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy shook his head in alarm.
The Minister of Economy and Finance was no different.
“Absolutely not. If we raise the alert level by one stage, stocks and everything else will fall, and foreign investors will start a near-total exodus.”
“We can't just ignore an obvious provocation because we're afraid of hurting the economy!”
“Afraid of the economy? Does the defense budget fall from the sky? And who said not to respond? Respond! We can respond without raising the alert level, can't we? You'd think none of us had served in the military, good grief.”
“W-What did you say? Minister Kim!”
“What is it, Minister Choi!”
As the Cabinet meeting threatened to turn into a brawl, the president sighed and waved his hands.
“What kind of disgraceful behavior is this? The people in the North may be crazy, but do we have to act the same way?”
“... I'm sorry, Mr. President.”
“I'm sorry.”
Haaah, the president sighed again and continued.
“You all have valid points. As the Minister of National Defense said, we do need to strengthen our response system, and the economy is obviously important, too. So we need to find a compromise.”
After thinking for a moment, the president spoke as if he'd made up his mind.
“Let's do this. Raising the alert level is premature, so we'll put it on hold. Instead, let's ask our top-ranked Hunters to refrain from traveling abroad. Minister of Awakened Affairs, that should be possible, right?”
Minister Jeong In-hyeon, who'd been watching from the sidelines, started in surprise and nodded.
“Yes, I'll notify them.”
“Don't make it an official notice... That would have the same economic impact anyway. Let's just make a request, one without legal force. And keep the request under embargo, too.”
Even without legal force, people will generally comply with a request from the state unless they have a pressing reason not to.
That's possible because relations between the current administration and Hunters are not bad.
“It won't be easy, but I'll try.”
“Good. Then there should be almost no impact on the economy, right?”
“Foreign currency inflows from Hunters who focus on overseas activity will decrease, but there shouldn't be much difference in the short term.”
“All right, let's proceed that way for now. And Minister Jeong, about that defector Hunter.”
The Minister of Awakened Affairs turned on his tablet and answered.
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“His final remark was rather significant.”
“... You mean ‘Long live Great Comrade Kim Segyun’?”
“Yes. Just in case, does Hunter Kim Segyun happen to have a mind-control-type skill?”
“... He's such an unpredictable person that I can't give you a definite answer, but judging by the recent incident in Britain, I suspect he may have an ability to undo mind control instead.”
“That cuts both ways. If he can undo mind control, couldn't someone also think he can control minds?”
“If you put it that way, I can't deny it.”
Alarmed expressions spread among the cabinet members.
“Could he have been brainwashed by Hunter Kim? If so, there could be some complications with the ethical issues and so on.”
“I'll ask Hunter Kim Segyun about that.”
“Please do.”
“Though I don't think you need to worry. You know Hunter Kim Segyun's character isn't like that, Mr. President.”
“People aren't always consistent. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you and I are completely different people now from who we were before entering politics.”
“Yes, but most importantly...”
Minister Jeong awkwardly scratched his head.
“If I were going to brainwash someone, I don't think I'd order them to shout something like ‘Long live Comrade Jeong In-hyeon!’ in front of a crowd. Even before anyone found out...”
He hesitated for a moment.
“Wouldn't that be... embarrassing?”
At his words, the cabinet members and the president all nodded without realizing it.
**
“Puhahahaha!”
“Keh-heh-heh-heh!”
... These guys.
They're laughing themselves to death.
After parting ways with Lee Seong-hyeok, who'd gone to the NIS for an investigation, the Hunters returned to their respective homes, with a few exceptions.
And after teasing me the entire way back to Seoul...
They were still laughing at Zephyros's house, where everyone had gathered for the first time in a while.
The ones laughing were, of course, Senior Choi Kang and Mr. Zephyros.
“Could you two maybe tone it down...”
“Oh, listen to who's talking. I will heed Great Comrade Germ's words and follow them to the letter!”
“......”
This is driving me crazy.
At least it hadn't made the news...
But too many Hunters had seen it.
Of course, the operation was classified, so they couldn't post about it on public forums, but the story was already spreading all over private forums.
It was about to become my nickname among Hunters: Great Comrade Germ.
“You two don't mind?”
“We're fine.”
“It's been a while since I exerted myself. I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?”
“... Just grab some chicken breast from the fridge and eat it.”
“Any top round?”
“That's in the fridge, too.”
I clicked my tongue as I watched Senior Choi Kang head happily to the fridge, then Zephyros's expression turned serious as he asked,
“That defector Hunter... why did he really do that to you?”
“... Well.”
Would he believe me if I said, I gained the power of a god, and when I used it to make him the Guardian Knight of my Church, that's what happened...?
“Can't you tell just by looking?”
Senior Choi Kang came back carrying an armful of top round and chicken breast from the fridge, and as he cooked the frozen chicken breast with crackling sparks of electricity, he said,
... Is he using his ability as a microwave?
His ability to make use of it was insane, but the application was so mundane.
“Didn't you see that defector's wife and son?”
“His wife and son?”
“This guy gave them a little treatment, and their complexion improved. Their mana sense got a lot better, too.”
“When did you see that?”
“When you were making a scene slicing up tanks.”
“Ugh.”
“If it were me, I'd prostrate myself, too, if someone cured my sick daughter.”
Zephyros had no children and couldn't really relate, but since a doting father said so, he just nodded.
Thank goodness.
Thanks to Senior Choi Kang, I didn't have to bring up Divine Authority after all.
Just then.
My phone rang loudly.
“Ah, yes. Yes. It's over? That was quick. Yes, yes. Understood.”
I hung up and asked Zephyros,
“You have plenty of rooms, right?”
“Sure.”
“Then would it be all right if that defector Hunter's family stayed here for a while?”
“What? At my house?”
“Yes.”
“Hey! Why? There's a hotel...”
“Come on, it's a little awkward for a family with a kid to stay at a hotel.”
“There's the NIS shelter for defectors, too!”
“The NIS asked me. He's such a powerful Hunter that they can't handle him on their own.”
“Your house...”
“My house isn't this big.”
“Just get them a room somewhere!”
I shook my head.
“He's just arrived in South Korea and is still adjusting. You want to just throw North Korea's strongest Hunter into society?”
“... Haaah.”
“Thanks in advance. For the record, you don't get a say.”
“What? Why not!”
“Whose house is this?”
“Mine... no, it's the company's. The company pays the rent.”
“And who owns the company?”
“... You do.”
“We're recruiting Mr. Lee Seong-hyeok into SG Group, too, so get along with your coworker.”
Zephyros sighed and grumbled.
“I raised a tiger.”
“Heh-heh.”
“Fine, so they're coming now?”
“Yes. You can meet them while they're here.”
Not long after, Lee Seong-hyeok's family arrived at Zephyros's house, awkwardly following an NIS employee.
“We're going to be imposing on you a great deal.”
“Not at all. Please make yourselves at home.”
“Thank you.”
In one of the guest rooms, we neatly piled up the basic childcare supplies the NIS provides to North Korean defectors.
After they'd eaten and settled down a bit...
We'd gone through several rounds of the liquor I'd brought out.
The original liquor, now with 0.5% Nectar content thanks to my improved proficiency.
Lee Seong-hyeok and his wife's eyes widened until they looked ready to split.
“I-It is delicious.”
“This is incredible liquor. Compared to this, any liquor from the Republic is practically swill.”
Lee Seong-hyeok especially...
“Good heavens, my faith has gone up a lot.”
... Now I understood why Kaiser bought so much liquor.
Anyway, as we happily shared drinks and chatted...
“Would it be all right to ask your ages?”
“Us? Born in the Year of the Tiger, 1974.”
“What? How can you be flying around like that at your age?! I was born in '77, the Year of the Snake. I'll treat you two as my older brothers.”
As expected, once they were good and drunk, the middle-aged guys around the same age got along like a house on fire.
I could barely get a word in, so I just watched them talk about dungeons with a smile.
In the middle of that...
“Have you heard of Aoji in North Hamgyong Province?”
“Aoji? Isn't that where the coal mine is?”
“That's right. It used to be where political prisoners were held, but can you believe a Gate appeared there?”
Oh, an Aoji Gate.
That's interesting.
Since hardly any data about North Korean Gates was available in the dungeon database, everything I learned about them from Lee Seong-hyeok's stories felt fresh.
“That Gate there is a real pain in the ass. A real pain.”
“Well, you must've cleared it, though.”
“No, we couldn't. That's why I even had to go through a self-criticism session, remember?”
“You had to go through self-criticism just because you couldn't clear a Gate? Tsk, tsk.”
“Until now, there were hardly any Gates in the North that gave me trouble when I went out to clear them, but that one was different.”
What? A typical impossible-to-clear Gate?
I wonder if the day will come when we clear it after reunification.
No, by the time we reunify, our levels will have gotten higher, so maybe we won't be able to clear it.
Just as I was listening with a smile...
“That Gate was actually called ‘Hell Mine.’”
... Hell Mine?
Where had I heard that before?.