Chapter 351

350 – Revival and Reunion #1

“P, Son of Pluto?!”

I followed up with full momentum, striking the evil spirit’s thigh again.

WHOOSH.

The aura-charged whip of puppy grass swiftly tore through the air with both flexibility and intensity, immediately leaving a red mark on its thigh.

SWIPE!

“KIIIIEEAAAHHH-!”

It must hurt quite a bit. Though the puppy grass is painful, it won’t deal much internal damage. This is my newly created weapon, the Hellscythe.

My Fear Crusher or fists tend to cause excessive destruction, and trying to control my strength could still end up killing my opponent.

So I sought a tool to help temper my power, and the puppy grass growing near the shrine tombs seemed suitable.

And it turned out to be a good choice.

After being struck by my whip, the evil spirit writhed in agony and fell at my feet, shedding tears.

“O, Oh divine son! Please take pity on me!”

“Shame on you!”

BOOOOM.

With a powerful roar, the rickety shack we were in trembled.

Even I was satisfied with that roar. I never thought I’d be able to shout so boldly at others, especially to something as fearsome as an evil spirit. It’s truly an incredible feeling.

But I maintained my composure and pressed on with one more word.

“Disappear from this girl’s body!”

“W, Well, don’t I need a new body to move into? If you provide me with one, I’ll enter it…”

“A new body…?”

“That woman wearing leather clothing will suffice. She looks young and healthy. To be honest, compared to this thin, frail girl, I prefer the soft body of that woman…”

“AHH-!”

Paranoi reacted with great shock.

“Lord Hassan! That vile and wicked evil spirit is eyeing my body! That cunning creature has noticed that I have a healthy and supple body!”

Paranoi growled with apparent anger, but the evil spirit seemed to be referring to Antiope.

Actually, the evil spirit is quite right. A young woman from the slums who doesn’t have enough to eat and is stick-thin is no match for Antiope, who eats well and trains daily.

Even if I could possess someone, Antiope would undoubtedly rank highly. What would it feel like to have those soft br*asts every day? If it were me, I’d have been fondling them each morning upon waking.

Do women secretly touch their own br*asts every day? It must be so.

In that sense, this evil spirit seems to be quite clever. It appears that it plans to enjoy caressing those br*asts daily by taking over Antiope’s body.

At this, Antiope, who had been watching the situation, furrowed her brows as if struck.

“What? That makes no sense!”

Clearly, Antiope doesn’t like the idea of that.

So, what should we do?

I gave it some thought. Just as I was pondering deeply, Paranoi growled.

“This guy just needs to be driven out…! There’s no need to listen to him. We just need to thrash him with Hassan-sama’s third relic, the Hellscythe!”

“N, I haven’t done anything evil! I just lived lazily on the money my older brother earns…”

“Hmm…”

“W, Well then, O Son of the God, please allow me to enter the doll you’re holding…”

“My doll?”

Only then did I remember the doll Luna had given me, hanging at my waist.

The doll that Luna left behind when she departed for Ideope.

I carried it on my belt, much like a phone charm, but it seems the evil spirit noticed it.

“I will enter there…”

SWISH.

At that moment, the girl’s body seemed to lose strength. I could feel an icy and strange sensation around my waist.

Antiope smiled slightly at this, as if impressed by the magical scene.

“Wow, it really went inside the doll.”

“What?!”

How dare this creature make my precious doll given by Luna its home! I was incredibly angry about this trespass, but I couldn’t strike it with the whip, as it was Luna’s cherished doll.

After bowing her head to inspect the doll at my waist, Antiope provided an explanation.

“It sealed itself within this doll. It seems this doll itself has acted as a protective charm or cursed doll.”

“Huh?”

“Did Ideope make this? If that’s the case, it’s understandable.”

“Well then, how do we get it out from in there?”

“That would require the one who created this doll to show up.”

“d*mn it.”

I have to carry this haunted doll around until Luna returns. It was a horrifying situation, and I felt dizzy at the thought.

What should I tell Luna?

A haunted doll?

Would Voodoo Priest Luna actually like this?

Regardless of my thoughts, Antiope appeared surprised and continued to react.

“An evil spirit powerful enough to fully control a body usually requires at least two knights from the Shrine Knights to drive it out. It’s surprising how easily it surrendered.”

“Oh, because Hassan-sama is the son of Lord Pluto, subduing evil spirits is, of course, something he can do! Comparing him to Shrine Knights is simply disrespectful!”

“Only a monster can handle another monster. The son of Pluto driving out an evil spirit, huh…”

Soon, Antiope paused as if lost in thought.

RUSTLE.

At that moment, the girl beside us stood up.

“What? What the hell is this? Fk! Worthless people!”

Given the harsh language that came out from the seemingly weak and frail girl’s mouth, it seemed some part of the evil spirit still lingered within her. Maybe multiple spirits had nested inside the body?

Just as I was about to swing the whip again, Norht hurriedly stepped in to stop me.

“That, that’s enough…! My little sister has a foul mouth habitually…! Juu! You’re awake! Be careful!”

“Norht, you fking b*stard! Why don’t you work in broad daylight and instead call friends over to play around?! What’s with these chains? Hurry and undo them!”

The scream from the younger sister was as alarming as the evil spirit’s.

Besides, while the evil spirit respectfully called Norht “big brother,” the now-conscious younger sister only insults and threatens him.

So, what’s the point in driving out the evil spirit or not?

But the relationship between bl**d-related siblings seems to be inherently like this, right?

I thought of my own younger sister who might be somewhere out there.

Of course, it isn’t a person I particularly wish to recall, so I quickly redirected my thoughts.

“That time, Lord Hassan said: ‘Evil spirit, begone. This pitiful girl is not one you should torment.’”

Hooh…

Indeed…

We were in front of the graveyard.

To be precise, I was in front of the newly built shrine of Hassan, established on an old burial ground.

There were many people sitting and listening to Paranoi’s sermon, who had now become my first priest.

“But even to such an evil spirit, Hassan-sama showed compassion by offering a comfortable doll to rest in…”

At this, applause broke out from various places.

It had been a week since the evil spirit was driven out, and it seemed the story of me, Hassan, driving out the pitiful poor spirit and restoring happiness to the siblings had spread widely through the West Gate and slums of Sodomora.

But was that story accurate? Could evil spirits be exorcised so easily?

I don’t know. Quiet! I sense my back is about to ache soon.

Mr. Kim’s neighbor got his torticollis cured within a day here, right?

Regardless, whether I actually drove out the evil spirit or not, it doesn’t seem crucial. What brought these people to the spooky tomb area was likely due to the time following Paranoi’s sermon.

“Well then, it’s time for the glorious god! Brighter than light, darkness acknowledged by Hypo as the rightful heir of the underworld! It’s time for the radiant gold god Hassan-sama to bestow grace upon us! Please warmly welcome him with big applause!!”

At Paranoi’s words, the people began clapping and cheering.

I was waiting my turn behind the altar. Even though I’ve experienced this situation a couple of times, it still felt awkward, my face burning as if my heart was about to explode.

Becoming famous, becoming a god—it turns out to be a rather embarrassing and nerve-wracking thing.

CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP.

As the applause grew louder, I pressed the vital point on the inside of my wrist to calm my jittering mind from the tension.

Pressing this point with my thumb helped to relieve tightness and anxiety. The slight pain helped suppress the trembling.

“Hmph.”

After taking a deep breath to regulate my internal energy, I advanced in front of the people.

“YYYYAAARGHH!”

CRUNCH.

“NNNNNNGGGGHHH!”

CRACK.

For a moment, the tension was palpable. But as soon as it came time to press the bodies of the ailing, there was no longer room for idle thoughts.

『Current Task Points + 560』

The task points climbed significantly.

In the past, this would have made me ecstatic, but now the people suffering from ailments are too numerous, and they look to me for healing.

Of course, I cannot cure all of their ailments.

Even through pulse diagnosis, some cannot be detected, but the one that the majority, especially, suffers from is this: extreme poverty.

Most of the ailments endured by the residents of this slum are due to severe malnutrition and fatigue. While I can treat certain internal injuries and chronic conditions, it’s clear that their conditions will recur and continue to gnaw away at their lives.

I’ve long known this place is called the West Gate Slums, but lately, I’ve been physically experiencing it.

There are many people for whom even eating a bowl of porridge is a struggle.

Young men may be able to do odd jobs, but it’s difficult for children and the elderly to find work, which leads them to poverty, leaving them unable to care for their bodies and causes further suffering.

Their suffering makes it harder for them to work, resulting in a vicious cycle. There’s not much I can do for them.

“Now, each person receives three copper coins! There will be dire consequences for those who take more than once, so it’s best not to deceive your conscience!”

“Three copper coins, please.”

“Gratitude to Lord Hassan!”

“Wow, at other shrines, they ask for money, but here they give it out. This is truly a blessing.”

The three copper coins distributed after the strange worship service.

Enough to buy inexpensive porridge at a cheap inn. It’s a touch awkward to receive this amount after listening to a two-hour strange sermon.

However, the people who have gathered here today have endured Paranoi’s odd sermon just to receive these three copper coins, indicating just how poor and desperate they are.

“My, my copper! Someone has stolen my copper! Stop that lad over there! Aiyy…”

Of course, with so many people present, issues inevitably arise.

“Well, be quiet-.”

Antiope, wielding her single-edged sword, is responsible for security and order, but people who are driven by hunger and poverty are unafraid even of the Shrine Knights.

“Hassan-sama, about 120 people have gathered today… Approximately 4 silver coins were distributed…”

“Do we have any money left?”

“All our funds were used to buy land, leaving only about 3 gold coins now. With more people coming than expected, we may run out soon…”

“What a predicament.”

“Couldn’t we reduce the amount distributed to two copper coins?”

“The cheapest noodle soup costs three copper coins. Two coins aren’t enough for a meal.”

“That’s true… Anyway, as per Hassan-sama’s instructions, people are swarming in like bees…”

Eventually, Paranoi looked positively at those around him.

“Come again tomorrow! Tomorrow, there will be a two-hour sermon on the wise and knowledgeable nymph Paranoi, which you should attend…”

After that, the people dispersed in great numbers.

“Oh, thank you, Hassan-sama. Thank you. Poor elderly folk like us aren’t accepted even at the central district shrines.”

“Though it’s a graveyard, it feels good to finally have a place to rest our hearts…”

Of course, many elderly people stayed behind to thank me.

An old person, probably ten times my age, who bows with a crooked spine to express gratitude is a scene I have yet to adjust to, no matter how many times I see it.

Still, being ostracized as a savage for years and having to endure scrutiny is much worse.

In any case, that’s all for today.

“Now, I’ll take a break.”

Sitting in the eerie corner of the graveyard, I took a brief rest.

SWISH.

Someone handed me something akin to a dry towel.

“You’ve gathered quite a number of people.”

It was Hippolyte.

“I told you to come to my office every Wednesday, didn’t I? Since you haven’t been coming, I figured I’d come myself. It’s called an out-of-office visit.”

Is today Wednesday?

I hadn’t even thought of that.

“Well, I’ve been quite busy.”

“It looks that way.”

SWISH.

Hippolyte gazed around with her narrow eyes. She observed Antiope and Paranoi, who had just finished calming the situation, chatting away.

“You’re recruiting followers steadily, it seems. Rumors of this peculiar worship you’re conducting have reached the central street where the Mars Guild resides.”

“Is that so?”

“You’ve even driven out an evil spirit, I hear. At this rate, it won’t be hard for word to spread throughout all of Sodomora and eventually the entire kingdom.”

Hippolyte said this while casually sitting on a rock jutting out beside me.

“But will you be alright? Most of the people who’ve gathered today look to be impoverished slum dwellers. Recruiting such followers will only make your shrine poorer.”

Apparently, Hippolyte was concerned about the quality of my followers. Antiope had previously mentioned that recruiting poor people wouldn’t be any help.

Hippolyte may seem somewhat cold-hearted, but it’s a pragmatic thought for this world where efficiency is prioritized.

The prestige of a shrine rises based on the wealth, fame, and honor of its followers. Thus, priests seek patrons who will sponsor them, and gods aspire to have mighty warriors as their champions.

Frankly, I thought this way too.

It would be nice to have more substantial followers, but all those coming to me are individuals with insufficiencies or shortcomings in some form.

Old, poor, sick, or all of the above.

Yet this peculiar power of massage I possess was inherently created for the underprivileged.

Just as medicine or surgery are unnecessary for a healthy person, perhaps the massages and massage therapy I provide are meant for those who are ailing and in pain.

And such people are usually poor, neglected, and dying.

I pulled out a gold coin from my pocket. The shiny gold coin brought back memories of when my stomach was full.

I asked.

“An old man who skips meals due to poverty and a wealthy merchant with piles of gold at home. Between the two, who do you think needs this gold coin more?”

Upon hearing my words, Hippolyte looked at the backs of the people with her narrow eyes.

“Well, the impoverished old man, of course.”

“That’s exactly it. I am like that gold coin. I’m becoming a god that’s more crucial to the destitute.”

“Hah, I see. A god of gold, and yet you look incredibly impoverished.”

Hippolyte chuckled as if hearing an interesting story. Then, as if recalling something, she added seriously,

“But even if you continue to share money and time like this, your temple will only grow poorer.”

“That may be the case. But now that we’ve started fairly smoothly, it’s time to share blessings with the followers.”

“Blessings? Hassan, are you capable of that already?”

Hippolyte seemed unaware of what I could do.

I quietly called upon some words.

『Hassan’s Status

Number of followers: 117

Number of foundations: 1

Number of temples: 1

Number of priests: 1

Number of graces: 0

Summary: A young and frail boy god without established rules causing confusion among the followers. There is a shortage of priests who can control and teach the followers.』

By now, I have accumulated slightly over a hundred followers. Even though they are all poor, it’s precisely because of that they are eagerly awaiting my graces.

Currently, my task points stand at 560. I decided to spend 100 of them to purchase a grace from the shop.

『Mass Money Luck』: Casts a blessing on all followers to increase their income. – 100K

『Do you wish to purchase?』

With a movement of my hand, DING went the sound, and the words floated before my eyes.

Using 100 task points felt a bit burdensome, but there will always be many ailing people giving me a significant amount of task points.

I finally moved my hand, shaking off any hesitations.

『The grace of money luck from God Hassan is now cast upon the followers.』

“What, what is this…?”

At that moment, Paranoi screamed.

“In front of my eyes, strange words are floating! Blessings have descended upon me! Only I, Paranoi, the great priest, the nymph of hell water, Paranoi, who has been chosen, am the prime follower!”

At her words, Antiope frowned beside her.

“Wait, what? I see it too! This blessing thing? This is the first time I’m seeing anything like it.”

“Not just me…?”

Paranoi clearly appeared deflated. Only Hippolyte, who didn’t understand the situation, looked curious and asked.

“What’s everyone saying about seeing something?”

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