âDonât tell me, that womanâŠis she really my daughter?â
Of course, that crazy idea soon disappeared. Kim Bongpal couldnât have children. It wasnât that he hadnât done anything that could result in children in his life, but it was still impossible. With his mana control good enough to remove blood from his clothes, it was only natural to remove other things.
Moreover, even if he had a child he didnât know, it would not make sense for that child to be in the Shire.
âIâm just the Young Divine Lady of the Celestial Demon Cult. Thatâs all.â
The Young Divine Lady said so without opening her eyes. Kim Bongpal could feel that their energy was very similar, but not exactly the same, and it was like his but with a layer of force overlapping it.
âFuck.â
Anyway. Now he was a little bit curious not only about the Young Divine Lady but also the Divine Lady herself.
âThen, letâs go.â
Saying so, Young Divine Lady bowed her head once, turned around, and walked away. Kim Bongpal thought about just ignoring Young Divine Lady and going to find Celestial Demon, but he eventually decided to follow. Why was her energy similar to his? Was the Divine Lady similar? It was to find these answers.
The Divine Ladyâs residence was far from the center of the Celestial Demon Cult. They had to head a fair distance from the central building, which was believed to be the Celestial Demonâs abode. People gradually stopped appearing, and now there was no one around except Kim Bongpal and his companions.
âCaptain of the Shadowless Squad, you may leave now.â
âYes!â
When the Young Divine Lady turned around and said so, the Captain of the Shadowless Squad answered with a shout.
âNormally, only the Celestial Demon can enter this place except for me. Of course, Mr. Kim Bongpal and your companions are exceptions.â
To prove her point, the road to the Divine Ladyâs residence was untouched by human hands. There was no road, but as they stomped through the wild grass, they eventually saw a small house in the distance. And behind itâŠ
ââŠA shrine? Or a temple?â
What should he call it? It was difficult to answer, but a building behind the house exuded a religious atmosphere.
âThe Divine Lady is in there.â
The Young Divine Lady stopped as she said so. She was urging Kim Bongpal to go ahead first.
Kim Bongpal stepped forward. When he entered the shrine, he felt this place was full of the same energy the Young Divine Lady exuded.
âNice to meet you.â
In the center was a person he presumed to be the Divine Lady. What he could guess from her appearance was that the Divine Lady must have lived a considerable number of years.
ââŠWhat is it?â
Kim Bongpal, examining the Divine Lady and his surroundings, soon noticed something strange. He was obviously with Maya and Tearing Wind Sword when he entered. However, before he knew it, he was left alone with the Divine Lady.
âDonât worry. Itâs just a temporary spatial separation.â
As she spoke, the Divine Lady opened her eyes, which she had kept closed like the Young Divine Lady. Her eyes were a murky white.
âHey, it isnât pleasant to look at. Would it be possible to close your eyes again?â
Kim Bongpal stared at Divine Lady for a moment before speaking his mind. It was more disrespectful to say to an old woman covered in deep wrinkles, but the Divine Lady wasnât just looking at him. As Johan and the Monstrous Immortal did, her eyes were trying to pierce through him.
âAh, my apologies. I needed to confirm something.â
A deep smile hung on her lips as she closed her eyes.
âConfirm?â
âYes. Is Mr. Kim Bongpal the person I have been waiting for? I wanted to confirm that.â
âHa?â
Kim Bongpal snorted. It wouldnât put him in a good mood to hear from a woman who seemed well over 100 that she was waiting for him.
âYouâve been waiting for me? No, youâve been waiting for someone, and thatâs me?â
âYes. Youâre right.â
âWhat kind of bullshit is thatâŠno. Come to think of it, Iâm not even curious about that.â
Kim Bongpal said so and reached for his waist. It didnât matter what the Divine Lady called him for; he didnât care, and he didnât even want to care.
Kim Bongpal drew the sword he received from Wargen. She silently watched.
âI asked the Young Divine Lady earlier, but she didnât answer.â
Kim Bongpal continued to feel that strange energy that seemed familiar dwelling in this shrine, but the Divine lady before him exuded the most of it.
âYou. Who the hell are you?â
Buzz-
The sword in his hands hummed. Although the Divine Lady was far, his strength could reach her in a moment once he swung. She might use a strange trick such as this spatial separation again, but it was unlikely that she could fully stop this attack.
ââŠI am the Divine Lady of the Celestial Demon Cult. Thatâs all.â
âThatâs a load of bullshit. Hey, I donât know about the young girl earlier, but Iâm not the type who wonât act rashly to an old woman whoâs lived as long as I have.â
The Divine Lady looked at him. Although her eyes remained closed, Kim Bongpal was sure she was watching him.
It was the same with the Young Divine Lady before. She guided him even though she hadnât opened her eyes.
And soon, the Divine Lady said.
âI cannot give you all the answers.â
âHa?â
âAll I can say is that everything is Godâs will.â
âŠKim Bongpal couldnât help but be embarrassed by that answer. What did she mean by God? He did wonder since it was a cult, but how could he have imagined that talk about some random God would come up?
âAnd the God of our Cult wanted Mr. Kim Bongpal to come to join us.â
* * *
Why was the Celestial Demon Cult classified as a religion rather than a simple armed group? Because they actually worship God. Most of the followers had forgotten their roots, but their start was as a small religion.
The Divine Lady delivered the word of their God, and the Celestial Demon protected the Divine Lady and the Cult. The Celestial Demon Cult was like that from the very beginning.
That Divine Lady, who inherited the divine power passed down from generation to generation, started explaining.
âI had a revelation from God a few months ago. I need to do something for Godâs plan thatâs been arranged for you.â
The Divine Lady said so and opened her eyes again. This time, she wasnât looking at Kim Bongpal. Those eyes staring into the air seemed to be examining fragments of something that existed far away.
âSo all you had to do was call me here? Then why take Seo Hayeon? No, damn it. No matter what I say, you will argue that you did it to call me.â
Kim Bongpal spat out his guess, and the Divine Lady didnât deny it.
âMany years have passed since the first Divine Lady was connected with God. The Divine Power continued to be inherited, but it gradually became cloudy. Thatâs why I couldnât understand much. Just call Mr. Kim Bongpal hereâŠthatâs the only revelation I received.â
The Divine Lady didnât try to explain. She just whined about whatever she wanted, or at least thatâs how Kim Bongpal felt it was going.
ââŠWhat the fuck.â
It was more absurd than he expected.
âShould I keep listening to this bullshit?â
He pondered it for only a moment.
âHey.â
The conclusion was no. Kim Bongpal interrupted the Divine Lady, but she stared into space. Was she looking at God or something?
After thinking about it for a moment, Kim Bongpal followed her gaze. There was nothing there.
âDamn it.â
Kim Bongpal cursed. Only then did the Divine Ladyâs gaze turn to Kim Bongpal.
Kim Bongpal was a thorough atheist. Although he grew up in a Catholic nursery, he didnât believe in the existence of God. But unlike on Earth, the existence of God was proved by Holy and Divine Power in Lupaine and Moorim. However, even after hearing about that, his feelings remained unchanged.
If God were omnipotent, the world wouldnât be this damned, and if God werenât omnipotent, then they wouldnât be God. Then, what was the existence that the Divine Lady called God?
âWhat is it?â
âAre you looking at the fucking bastard now?â
ââŠPardon?â
The Divine Ladyâs reply returned after a long period. Was it because she couldnât imagine that he would dare to act so disrespectfully?
âYou said that bastard called God called me. Isnât God omnipotent? And now God must know what Iâm going to do.â
Kim Bongpal raised his sword again.
He had one theory. He had several, but the most pertinent one now was this: those who keep spouting crap deserve to be stabbed.
âAsk that bastard. Did they even know I would do this?â
The Divine Lady seemed to have almost no combat power. However, it was undeniable that she was filled with an energy that resembled his own.
Thatâs why Kim Bongpal breathed energy into his own sword. If it had been an ordinary sword, it wouldnât be able to withstand his power and would have broken immediately.
âAsk them to give you a revelation or something. Tell me why I donât have to kill you here.â
There was no change in the Divine Ladyâs expression. Even her energy didnât waver.
ââŠIf God wanted an ending like this, it must also be Godâs will.â
And Kim Bongpalâs face wrinkled even more than the Divine Ladyâs at her declaration.
âHa!â
Kim Bongpal snorted and pointed his sword. The space around them began to shake with his power.
But then.
âA reason?â
A single voice cut through the tension.
Bang-bang!
It was followed belatedly by the roar of a shockwave as Kim Bongpalâs rushing Trail Force collided with someoneâs hand.
âI will answer for you. My Greatness will not allow it.â
A pure white hand, which was hard to believe belonged to a Warrior, clutched the Trail Force that Kim Bongpal fired.
âWho are you?â
He asked that question, but Kim Bongpal knew the answer already. This powerful mana that made his skin tingle could only belong to one person in the Celestial Demon Cult.
âHaha. You came here, but youâre asking who My Greatness is?â
Buzz-
The Trail Force in her hand faded, and now he could see her face beyond it. One glance at her pointy ears added certainty to Kim Bongpalâs conjecture.
âMy Greatness is the Celestial Demon.â
Wargen would have just been hit and knocked out. He might not have died, but he wouldâve suffered injuries that couldnât be regenerated immediately. However, the Celestial Demon washed away Kim Bongpalâs Trail Force with a single tap.
Looking at Kim Bongpal, she asked.
âNow I will ask. Who the hell are you?â
However, Kim Bongpal didnât answer. Instead.
Bang-bang-!
âMy Greatness? Celestial Demon? Damn it. Arenât you embarrassed to call yourself that shit?â
Kim Bongpalâs sword and the Celestial Demonâs hand collided.