〈 Chapter 1061 〉 1061. Spirit Lord
KWAANG! KA-BOOM!
An explosion echoed through the air.
I turned my gaze toward the shrine. Black smoke and dust were rising into Heaven. The shrine must’ve been obliterated beautifully. I hurried toward it with all haste.
“The Cult Leader dies by my hand.”
I had already given Amatsuka Koyori strict orders to focus on rescuing lives above all else. Unless something extraordinary happens, she won’t interfere in my battle against the Cult Leader.
“Explosion!!”
“Check the Ritual Chamber first!!”
“Believers are trapped under fallen pillars!”
“Rescuing believers is secondary! Extinguish the fire spreading across the shrine first!”
Inside the collapsed shrine, followers were panicking left and right. I clicked my tongue upon seeing the mess. Even though I planted enough bombs to blow this place off the map, only half of it was destroyed.
‘This isn’t because the believers managed to counteract it—it’s the durability of the shrine itself. It’s far sturdier than I anticipated.’
I clicked my tongue again.
The Cult Leader’s power is tied to the shrine. Though it wasn’t completely demolished, he still retains some strength.
‘But there’s no time to waste blowing up what remains now. Koyori will be here soon.’
If I delay, the prey—the Hunt target that is the Cult Leader—might slip into Koyori’s hands. And that’s not something I want.
‘Things have changed from before the regression. This Cult Leader doesn’t possess overwhelming power like last time.’
Recalling my memories, I headed straight for the Cult Leader’s chamber. Along the way, I encountered a few followers.
“Who are you?!”
“Intruder!”
“Our Lord commanded us to kill anyone suspicious on sight!”
The followers drew their weapons from their robes. Pathetic. Using Flash Step, I sliced through them as I passed. Even if they’re ordinary people, as followers of the Light Origin Sect, I have no intention of letting them live—not even a shred.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
Their screams and the thud of bodies hitting the ground filled the air. Without looking back, I moved forward toward the Cult Leader’s chamber.
‘So, even after the explosion, the Cult Leader’s room remains intact. Barely scorched at most.’
Kicking open the door, I entered.
Unlike the pristine Cult Leader’s chamber I saw before regressing, this one was drenched in red. Blood and guts smeared every surface, making the space grotesque. Human remains rolled across the floor, revealing the tattered robes of the sect’s followers.
“You killed your own followers?”
“I didn’t kill them—they sacrificed themselves. For the Light Origin Sect, for Great Spirit. They’ll be saved by His mercy.”
Gooch-gooch.
Tentacles writhed out of the Cult Leader’s body. Seeing the crimson blood coating those Tentacles, I understood the situation immediately.
‘This bastard just offered his followers as sacrifices to gain power.’
I recalled the details of the Spirit Ascension Ritual. In it, followers are used as offerings. To the Light Origin Sect, brainwashed commoners serve merely as higher-quality sacrifices.
“Who are you? Great Spirit sees all. Remove your mask and show your face.”
“What, are you stupid? Why would I wear a mask if not to hide my face?”
I took meticulous care to conceal myself, ensuring my clothing and weapons left no traceable marks. They won’t identify me based on anything else.
‘This is Great Spirit’s shrine. Brahma Sen might be watching through divine vision. I can’t use flashy lightning that draws attention.’
However, Thunder Needles are an exception. Their appearance isn’t particularly dazzling when observed casually.
Pzzziiikkk.
Thunder Needles surged through my body. In an instant…
The overwhelming pain surged through me, and I gritted my teeth. I transformed that pain into burning anger directed at the Cult Leader before me.
“Quite the mouth on you. But I do understand one thing now… You’re the bastard who committed the blasphemous act of destroying the shrine!!”
The Cult Leader roared. Four thick tentacles sprouted from his back and lunged toward me. I sidestepped and swung my sword, cleanly slicing all four tentacles in one stroke. Blood sprayed as the severed tentacles hit the ground.
The tentacles lost their momentum and drooped. But it was only temporary—they quickly regenerated.
I aimed my sword at the Cult Leader’s neck. He panicked and stepped back. My blade slashed through empty air.
I leaped upward, evading a tentacle aiming for my legs, then calmly distanced myself from him.
‘This is different from before the regression. Back then, he never even tried to dodge my attacks.’
Previously, no matter how many times I swung my sword, he would take the hits without flinching—because cutting off his head or stabbing his heart didn’t kill him. That’s why my fighting style worked back then.
‘But now… he’s dodging my attacks.’
The Cult Leader wasn’t immortal after all. He feared death.
‘The tentacles regenerate quickly, but compared to before the regression, both their number and power have diminished.’
I’d fought this Cult Leader before and gained experience. I knew exactly how he used his tentacles in combat.
There was no way I could lose this battle.
With victory assured, I charged at the Cult Leader again. Tentacles shot out—I sliced them effortlessly. Though being covered in their black blood made me feel disgusting, knowing I could kill the Cult Leader filled me with joy.
As I approached, the Cult Leader backed away until his back hit the wall. There was nowhere left for him to retreat.
“You heretic… YOU HERETIC!!! Oh Great Fanatic!!”
In desperation, the Cult Leader screamed.
Did his cry reach the Great Fanatic? A dark tentacle burst from his shadow and burrowed into his body.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
The Cult Leader shrieked.
I realized he was experiencing ecstasy.
His body began to mutate. His skin turned ashen gray, small worm-like tentacles erupted from his flesh, and his face melted like wax into something unrecognizable.
He was no longer human.
Before the transformation completed, I plunged my sword into his heart.
‘There’s no reason to wait for his full transformation.’
Blood flowed along the blade.
“Heh heh heh…”
The Cult Leader laughed. Sensing danger, I dropped my sword and used Blink to create distance. Over twenty tentacles shot out from his body, sweeping across where I had just stood. If I’d been slower, those tentacles would’ve caught me and subjected me to unspeakable horrors.
“You’re sharp…”
The Cult Leader pulled the sword embedded in his chest out, and the wound healed instantly.
‘…Not as strong as before the regression, but still not something to ignore.’
His power stemmed from the shrine. Destroying what remained of it would weaken him further, but I had no intention of doing so.
‘Just enhanced regeneration… Still manageable.’
The Hunter Killer Bone Dart—an item capable of rendering an opponent unable to heal for three hours. I possessed it but hadn’t drawn it yet.
It was my last resort. Too precious to waste now.
‘I didn’t come here relying solely on that.’
Summoning white gloves, I swiftly donned them. These were the Inquisitor’s White Gloves, obtained as a reward after clearing the Rainbow Fruit Dungeon. Once every 24 hours, they granted the ability to imbue objects with holy power for ten minutes.
I had upgraded these gloves with *Ascension of Holy Light*. While retaining the same cooldown and duration, their holy power effect had grown stronger.
‘More precisely, they channel Selbritina’s divine energy into weapons.’
I infused my sword with divine power.
The blade glowed with golden light.
“Thattthhh… P-Power…!!”
The Cult Leader stared at me with a mixture of revulsion, as if he’d seen a cockroach. His voice sounded distorted, evidence that not only his appearance but also his internal structure had transformed into that of a monster.
“S-Selbrreeeetiiinaaaa!!! Disgusting… NNNNOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!”
More than zero tentacles whipped through the air like whips. I focused my spirit and slashed them all down. Sizzle! The smell of burning filled the air as the severed tentacles smoked. Some of Celbretina’s holy power lingered on the tentacles, burning them to a crisp.
“So, it’s clear from the fact that they’re not regenerating instantly like before – Celbretina’s divine power is their weakness.”
The reason those bastards are wary of Pak Suho must be because Celbretina’s power is dangerous to them.
“High Priest. This time, I’ll finish you for sure.”
“Divine Madness… My Lordddddddd!!!”
Damn tentacles targeting me again.
I danced with the tentacles. I dodged and slashed the ones lunging at me, advancing step by step. It didn’t take long to reach the High Priest. With all his tentacles gone, he trembled in fear.
“My Lord… You’re watching usss…”
“Yeah, that’s why you put on the mask.”
Bramasen. Even if that bastard is watching, it doesn’t change anything. Bramasen can’t do anything right now. At best, he just empowered the High Priest like earlier – and even that has limits. The proof is that he’s doing nothing right now.
Puuuuk!
I plunged a golden sword into the High Priest’s chest. He writhed. Sizzle! His body burned under the divine power. The small worm-like tentacles wriggling across his skin fell limp and lifeless. The monstrous form the High Priest had taken temporarily returned to that of a human.
“You dog of Celbretina! Whore’s man! One day, the Divine Madness will descend upon Earth! He’ll tear apart the Whore of Light and bring eternal torment upon you!”
“Your last words? Got it. Pretty boring stuff. Let me tell you something too: No matter what Bramasen does, I won’t lose to him. Earth is my territory. I’ll protect it.”
There will be no more senseless deaths like Han Harin’s before the reset.
As I tightened my grip on my sword, I felt the High Priest’s eyes turn red.
His gaze changed.
It was the same gaze I’d felt once before the reset.
“Bramasen…!! One day, I’ll kill you with my own hands!!”
-Insolent one. Don’t think this is the end.
Red light flared in the bastard’s eyes. For a moment, I felt an unpleasant sensation. I realized he was messing with me. Probably trying to drive me insane using madness or some crap.
“You really piss me off.”
I pulled out my sword and decapitated him. I kicked his rolling head, sending it smashing against the ceiling where it exploded into pieces. That’s it – the High Priest is dead.
Kooowwwng! Kung! Kiieeeeeeeng!
The ground shook, and the intact temple began to crumble. With the High Priest gone, this space was vanishing too.
‘The High Priest was basically a dungeon core.’
Stepping outside the chamber, I looked around. As a Hunter, I could tell – it would take over six hours for the place to completely collapse. Plenty of time.
‘Let’s go to Harin.’
Han Harin was probably dealing with the cultists or rescuing the captured people.
Finding Han Harin was easy. She was with Amatsuka Koyori. Seeing me, her eyes lit up. Even though she wore a clown mask, it seemed like she immediately recognized me.
‘There aren’t many men here, and Harin knows my build well… Can’t help it.’
She knows every inch of my body. Hell, Harin even knows what my ass looks like.
Koyori also stared at me. Dressed in shrine maiden robes with a naginata in hand, she was staring at me intently.
“Who are you?”
“Don’t feel like saying.”
“…Is that so? Your Japanese is good.”
“I’m Japanese. Anyway, shouldn’t we rescue the captives first?”
“Yes, rescuing them comes first.”
Koyori started moving. I didn’t move with them but stayed behind. There’s no one here who could stop Koyori anyway, and it’d be troublesome if my identity were revealed.
“…”
“…”
Exchanging glances with Han Harin, I headed toward the forest.
