Chapter 70
Hunter Lee Shin (6)
Time stopped the moment the demon appeared.
Remembering that the same thing had happened when Lilith appeared before, Lee Shin suspected it might be some innate authority possessed by demons.
“Marbas? Are you the master of this Rift?”
Lee Shin indifferently got straight to the point.
『Yes, that is correct. I neither acquired nor received it from someone else midway through its development. I personally handled everything, from the initial investment to its design.』
“Hmm.”
Lee Shin could vaguely sense it.
This one was different from the demons he had encountered until now.
While Legion and Lilith had openly displayed their emotions and auras, Marbas concealed himself behind a veneer of courtesy and composure.
Rather than a creature faithful to its instincts, he seemed more like a seasoned professional. His appearance, his manner of speaking, the atmosphere he exuded... Everything about him felt more like a meticulous businessman than a demon.
If a demon had adapted to society and blended in among humans, this was exactly what it would look like.
『If it would not be too presumptuous, I would like to ask you a question.』
“What is it?”
『Have you come here to destroy this Rift?』
Just as Lee Shin had gotten straight to the point, Marbas did the same without beating around the bush.
Lee Shin nodded.
“Yes, I have.”
Upon hearing his immediate answer, Marbas swept back his luxuriant mane.
『As I thought. Otherwise, there would be no reason for one as great as yourself to personally visit such a humble place.』
“Do you intend to stop me?”
At those words, Marbas raised his head and studied Lee Shin before answering.
『If I may be so bold as to ask, how long has it been since you became a Star?』
“Not very long.”
『So it would seem. Ordinarily, great beings do not visit the demons’ humble farms, in accordance with the agreement established in the distant past.』
“...An agreement?”
Lee Shin had never heard of such a thing.
Marbas soon continued.
『It was an agreement declaring that destroyed worlds—in other words, “ownerless worlds”—would be recognized as the demons’ sphere of activity. Whether we opened Rifts and turned them into farms that produced despair, or imposed specific trials to harvest souls, the gods agreed not to interfere.』
“Why would they make such an agreement?”
『There were various interests involved, but it can be summarized in a single sentence: no one seeks a god when everything is peaceful. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement for gods and demons alike. It would appear you broke that rule because you were unaware of it.』
No one seeks a god when everything is peaceful.
Lee Shin frowned upon hearing those words.
『For your information, creating a Rift requires a considerable investment of resources even from a demon. I have invested quite a bit of capital in this particular Rift... and it has remained one of my foundational cash cows. I would be put in a difficult position if it disappeared.』
『I have also heard that you already closed another Rift—the one belonging to the demon Legion. You likely acted that way because you were unaware of the complicated relationships and circumstances involved at the time. I came here personally because I was concerned you might make the same irreversible mistake twice.』
Marbas continued speaking without interruption.
Completely oblivious to the fact that Lee Shin’s expression had hardened.
『Ordinarily, these are matters that your administrator should have explained beforehand... But how much could the administrator of an abandoned world possibly know? It must have viewed only a fragment of the whole picture and spouted nonsense such as, “Demons are the archenemies of gods,” or, “A god must rightfully punish demons.”』
『This side of existence is not so simple. The more one possesses, the more one has to lose, would you not agree? Reducing meaningless conflicts and allowing each side to take what it needs according to its circumstances... That is the wise course of action.』
“So... what is the real reason you came to see me?”
Marbas smiled at Lee Shin’s question.
『Let us settle this wisely.』
“Wisely?”
『Your objective is to bring more of this land’s souls into your faith, while mine is to present them with trials and harvest sufficient despair from their souls. There is a way for both of us to be satisfied.』
Marbas flicked his tongue.
Like a snake.
『It is a method being employed in various worlds. It works like this—』
“No, you don’t need to explain.”
But there was something Marbas did not know.
“I have no intention of doing that.”
Lee Shin was different from the other gods Marbas knew.
『Pardon? You should at least hear me out. This is something from which we can all profit—』
“Not everyone.”
Very different.
“What about the people living on this land?”
Lee Shin stared at Marbas.
“If I collude and compromise with you, what do the innocent people living on this land gain?”
『......』
“They gain nothing. They only lose everything before disappearing in vain, don’t they? If we obtain something by using their lives and desperate wishes as our foundation, then none of it has any meaning. At the very least, a god must never do that.”
At that moment, Marbas made an indescribable expression.
His face said that he genuinely could not understand it, could not accept it, and could not empathize with it in the slightest.
A moment later, the demon spoke.
『...Who in the world cares about such things?』
Lee Shin answered the instinctive question without a moment’s hesitation.
“I do.”
And then—
「You are the natural enemy of demons.」
「The skill ‘True Justice’ has been activated.」
A brilliant radiance began pouring from Lee Shin’s body.
「An exceptionally powerful ‘Heavenly Blessing’ has been bestowed upon you.」
「From this moment until your battle against the demon ends, you will be imbued with the [Holiest Light of Dawn].」
The moment the skill activated, Lee Shin’s divine power began swelling uncontrollably.
As always, the authority dramatically amplified his strength whenever he faced a demon.
『...Remarkable.』
『You seem to have far surpassed the level of an intermediate god... Yet despite possessing such power, you remain trapped in such a foolish way of thinking? Then again, considering your lowly origins, perhaps it is understandable...』
Marbas muttered in admiration.
『I see. You are mad enough to be close friends with an eccentric like the “Master of Eternity.”』
As Lee Shin’s overwhelming divine power seized control of the surrounding space, Marbas looked at Lee Shin’s Apostles.
Each of them surpassed the heroes of most worlds.
Whether it was Lee Shin’s divine power or the number of followers he possessed, there was no doubt that he had already exceeded the level of an intermediate god.
Marbas met their gazes and spoke.
『Very well. Let us end things here.』
The next moment, he raised one hand above his head.
『There are few things more foolish than confronting a being like you head-on. If I did, my existence would be torn apart without leaving so much as a trace.』
『I shall take a step back this time.』
And then—
Stab!
Marbas plunged his raised hand into his own chest.
Black blood sprayed in every direction, and a writhing gray heart appeared in his grasp.
『...But you will regret this.』
“......”
『You will learn through bitter experience why the gods of the distant past joined hands with demons. You will come to understand why even the greatest and most exalted beings chose to show demons a minimum degree of respect instead of making us their absolute enemies.』
Marbas’s body began scattering like ash.
『Demons are far more tenacious, persistent, and unwilling to forget a grudge than you realize.』
“......”
『You will undoubtedly regret breaking this unwritten law...』
Marbas continued glaring at Lee Shin until the very end.
Right until the final moment.
「You have annihilated a demon’s avatar!」
「Despair has been purified.」
「Divine Power has increased by 1,000.」
「Interference has permanently increased by 500.」
There had been no intense battle or fierce resistance, yet Lee Shin could not shake the ominous feeling lingering inside him.
It felt as though he had just made an exceptionally troublesome enemy.
‘...Not that I have any intention of compromising.’
Lee Shin exhaled deeply.
Just then, his status window appeared with a chime.
「TIP: He simply got scared and ran away!」
「TIP: Demons are the sort who keep talking big until the moment they die!」
「TIP: (gug)」
「The demon Marbas has been greatly weakened.」
Lee Shin stared at the remnants of Marbas, which had turned to dust and vanished, with a peculiar expression.
‘That didn’t feel very conclusive.’
Marbas had been different from the demons Lee Shin had encountered until now.
From his appearance and manner of speaking to the atmosphere surrounding him—everything about him had been different.
Well, if the system said so, that was a relief.
In any case, Lee Shin did not have the luxury of continuing to dwell on it.
He still had a mountain of problems to resolve.
“...My lord, are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“What was that? It felt as if something just happened...”
Time resumed after Marbas’s avatar disappeared, and Seong Chanyang approached with a worried expression.
Lee Shin glanced around.
“Please... Just spare my life...”
“Hunter Zhang Jiang, I will be lodging a formal protest regarding this incident!”
There was already a mountain of trouble right in front of him.
“Let’s get out of here first.”
At Lee Shin’s words, Seong Chanyang and Yang Qianhua began moving.
[Call upon me again whenever you wish.]
With the battle over, Lee Shin sent Mars back to the small world.
Seong Chanyang took responsibility for carrying the battered Zhang Jiang. Despite her slender appearance, she was still an S-rank hunter. Carrying a single adult man was an effortless task for her.
“Please... spare me...”
Lee Shin had been worried that Zhang Jiang might become violent, but fortunately, he remained docile even after Mars left.
It seemed that he had completely lost his will to fight.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that his spirit had been completely broken.
Thus, Lee Shin’s party reached the Rift’s entrance without incident and emerged safely.
And then—
“...They’re out!”
At the entrance to the Rift, Lee Shin’s party was met by an enormous crowd.
“Are you all right, Hunter Lee Shin?”
“Were you injured anywhere? A little while ago, Hunter Zhang Jiang entered the Rift without authorization—”
Lee Shin had wondered why so many people had gathered, but it appeared Zhang Jiang was responsible.
He really had acted recklessly without considering the consequences.
Near the Rift, several Association employees lay collapsed and bleeding.
Zhang Jiang had clearly attacked them.
‘What a terrible person.’
Someone who used his power against the weak was the worst kind of person.
“...I’m relieved to see that you’re unharmed, Savior.”
“Are you all right, Branch Manager Liang Yu?”
“Yes, fortunately.”
Liang Yu, who approached from the other side, was in poor condition.
“Zhang Jiang may be an uncontrollable brute, but it seems even he realized that things would become much more serious if anyone were gravely injured. They said that no one other than me had suffered life-threatening injuries either.”
“...That’s a relief.”
Liang Yu’s injuries were probably also Zhang Jiang’s doing.
“Look! Hunter Zhang Jiang is covered in blood.”
“What in the world happened inside?”
“Was Hunter Lee Shin not merely an Awakener with dimensional abilities, but also an exceptional combatant? How did he subdue Hunter Zhang Jiang without suffering a single injury...?”
“That savage bastard! How dare he try to hurt Lord Lee Shin!”
“Hong Kong’s future depends on Lord Lee Shin!”
“We can’t possibly let this incident slide!”
The area surrounding the Hong Kong Rift was utter chaos.
Reporters who had rushed over after hearing the news, Association officials, and even local Hong Kong residents who had come to support Lee Shin after learning that he was entering the Rift...
All kinds of people had gathered there.
“Hunter Lee Shin, we’ll take custody of Hunter Zhang Jiang and hand him over to the Association. I understand that you may find it difficult to trust us, but even they won’t be able to cover up this incident easily. The matter is simply too serious—”
“Ah, before that, could you move aside for a moment?”
“Excuse me?”
Of course, there was something more urgent to deal with.
“There’s something I need to finish.”
Lee Shin turned his head.
The Rift was behind him.
「The ‘demonic influence’ has disappeared from this Rift.」
「You may expend 200 Interference to destroy the Rift.」
「Would you like to destroy the Rift?」
The status window was different from before.
“Destroy it.”
It was what he had come here to do. There was no reason not to do it immediately.
「The demon Marbas’s Rift will be destroyed.」
「You have purified despair.」
「You have acquired 2,210 Divine Power.」
Rumble!
The next moment, the entire area began shaking as if an earthquake had struck.
“W-What is happening?”
“Is the Rift going berserk again?!”
“S-Send out an emergency summons to the hunters! Hurry—”
The sudden disturbance sent everyone gathered nearby into a panic.
However—
“...It isn’t going berserk.”
“Over there...”
Before long, the people saw it.
“...It’s disappearing.”
The Rift had become a symbol of Hong Kong.
It was a disaster that had taken the lives of countless young people, destroyed numerous families, and stolen precious loved ones from so many others.
The dimensional gate that had seemed as though it would remain forever was shrinking.
A long silence followed.
“...Hunter Lee Shin.”
It did not take very long.
The Rift, once enormous enough to obscure Hong Kong’s skyline, disappeared without leaving a single trace. All that remained where the dimensional gate had once stood was the vast, open sky.
It was a sight that had once been completely ordinary, twenty-four years ago.
The unobstructed Hong Kong nightscape—something they had believed they would never reclaim—was shining before them once again.
The city’s dazzling neon signs mingled with the moonlight in the night sky, recreating its uniquely captivating scenery.
All sound vanished in an instant.
Those who had been shouting and causing a commotion fell silent. The reporters who habitually pressed their shutters dropped their cameras and stood frozen in a daze.
Even Zhang Jiang, who had been lying facedown on the ground and trembling, could only swallow hard as he stared at the sight in shock.
“You... You really...”
Yang Qianhua’s murmur broke through the silence.
The seasoned hunter was no longer there.
In her place stood a middle-aged woman who had lost her ordinary life as a housewife and the family that had given her life purpose.
Having lost everyone, she could no longer be called someone’s wife or someone’s mother.
She was a middle-aged woman left alone in a transformed world.
A small soul swept helplessly along by the storms of the world.
“...W-Waaaaaaaaah!”
The next moment, a thunderous cheer erupted.
Everyone present thrust both arms into the air and expressed their joy. Some shed tears of overwhelming emotion, while others began sobbing bitterly as years of pent-up sorrow finally burst forth.
Amid the surging waves of emotion, Lee Shin calmly stared at the place where the Rift had disappeared.
The grudges and bitter anguish that had lingered over this land were no longer there.
「Your fame is spreading far and wide.」
「The number of your followers is increasing explosively.」
That alone was enough to satisfy Lee Shin.
More than enough.
***
「[Lee Shin]: Blue Star, you’re incredible.」
「[★Blue Star★]: You’re the incredible one! I’ve already heard the news. You smashed the Evil God Beliar’s world to pieces, didn’t you? Hurry up and tell me how you won! I’ve been dying of curiosity!」
「[★Blue Star★]: Wow... His spirit must have been completely shattered. Countering ‘Apocalypse’ like that is something gods only did back in the days of Genesis. That was when things like the bond between gods and their followers, faith, and love—things that have become objects of ridicule now—were respected above all else...」
「[Lee Shin]: Do you think those things are worthless too?」
「[★Blue Star★]: I don’t know. They’re different from the values I pursue, but I don’t consider them worthless. When all is said and done, I’m also one of the gods from that era. Ah! I’m about to reveal my age by accident. Pretend you didn’t hear that! ☆」
***
「[Lee Shin]: ...」
「[★Blue Star★]: It’s been a while, hasn’t it?」
「[Lee Shin]: Did everything go well?」
「[★Blue Star★]: Hmm... More or less.」
「[★Blue Star★]: I’ve mostly wrapped things up, but I might have to leave again soon. I absolutely hate playing with veterans... I prefer newbies like you.」
「[★Blue Star★]: I should visit your world sometime soon. If you absorbed everything Beliar possessed, you must have grown incomparably stronger than before. Ah—what if you stop being a newbie too quickly? That’s always the most entertaining stage! It’ll be no fun if you rush through it too quickly! OTL」
「[Lee Shin]: You’re welcome to visit whenever you want.」
Lee Shin had contacted Blue Star again after a long absence.
As they exchanged updates and chatted about trivial matters, Lee Shin asked her about what Marbas had told him—the unsettling feeling that had continued lingering in his mind.
「[★Blue Star★]: Marbas? Who was he again...? Ah, I remember now. He never made it into the ranks of the greater demons because he was too fond of socializing, but he still had a fairly extensive network of connections.」
「[Lee Shin]: I’m curious whether the things Marbas told me were true.」
「[★Blue Star★]: Hmm. To put it plainly, they were true. One of the agreements made long ago contained such terms. It stated that no one would interfere with whatever demons chose to do with abandoned worlds.」
「[★Blue Star★]: For the record, I opposed it. Not for the same reason as you, such as feeling sorry for the souls... I just hate the very idea of demons slithering around any world.」
「[Lee Shin]: Why was such an agreement made?」
「[★Blue Star★]: Just as they told you. No one seeks a god if everything remains peaceful. Demons torment the souls of abandoned worlds, and gods with a little free time occasionally stop by, perform a few miracles, offer some minor assistance, and collect plenty of faith. It’s a fairly profitable arrangement.」
「[★Blue Star★]: Just as he said, it’s mutually beneficial, isn’t it?」
Blue Star added something else.
When people were given even the faintest glimmer of hope, the despair that followed became far deeper. For that reason, demons also welcomed the scraps of assistance that gods handed out like charity.
For some reason, hearing that only made Lee Shin feel more depressed.
「[Lee Shin]: Are you... participating in that too?」
「[★Blue Star★]: Of course not! I already told them I’d annihilate every last one I saw. If they don’t want to die, they can stay out of my sight. I’m the infamous crazy bitch of this neighborhood!」
「[Lee Shin]: ......」
「[★Blue Star★]: Of course, only a god at my level can do something like that... It would be difficult for you right now. So, to be completely honest, you might be better off coexisting with them for the time being. They’re bound to become extremely troublesome.」
「[★Blue Star★]: I can protect your worlds, but it would be difficult for me to protect the dimension where your physical body resides... Earth No. 1.」
「[Lee Shin]: You must have a lot of work too.」
「[★Blue Star★]: No, that isn’t the problem... There’s a complicated issue involved. You can assume that there are no gods—not just me—capable of directly exerting influence over Earth No. 1. To be precise, we’re ‘unable’ to exert influence there.」
Gods could not exert their influence over Earth No. 1.
That was what Blue Star told him.
‘There must be something else going on.’
The deeper he delved, the more things he discovered that he knew nothing about.
Whenever this happened, Lee Shin was reminded that he was still inexperienced in the World of Stars. In reality, there was almost nothing he could not learn if he truly wished to know it.
「[★Blue Star★]: Anyway! That isn’t why I contacted you.」
「[Lee Shin]: Oh, did you contact me because you had something to tell me?」
「[★Blue Star★]: Yep! You became an intermediate god this time, didn’t you?」
「[Lee Shin]: That’s right.」
「[★Blue Star★]: The intermediate gods have a rather entertaining custom among themselves. I think they’ll be contacting you about it soon, so I wanted to warn you in advance.」
「[Lee Shin]: An entertaining custom?」
Hearing Blue Star describe it as “entertaining” somehow filled Lee Shin with foreboding.
「[★Blue Star★]: It’s called an ‘initiation ceremony’! Isn’t that adorable?」
「[Lee Shin]: ......」
「[★Blue Star★]: We didn’t have anything like that in my day! Newbies these days are so adorable. If I followed my heart, I’d sneak in and join them... but I mustn’t do anything mean that would ruin the mood! Ahem.」
「[★Blue Star★]: Anyway, you’ve had a lot of hectic things going on lately, so go and have some fun with the other newbies this time! And you absolutely must tell me how much fun you had afterward! You promise!」
A moment later, Lee Shin sent his reply.
「[Lee Shin]: ...It really is something fun, right?」
For some reason, no reply came after that.
‘I have a feeling I’m about to get dragged into something strange again.’
Premonitions like this had never been wrong before.
Yes.
Not even once.