Chapter 219

Where Minos had fallen, only silence lingered, accompanied by the thick scent of blood.

However, that silence was not peace, but the stillness that precedes a far greater storm.

From deep within the Holy Sanctuary, beyond the doors, a faint throbbing resonated with the beating of a heart, stimulating an instinctive fear.

“…….”

Taewoon’s gaze shifted beyond the collapsed walls of the Holy Sanctuary, toward the place where the remnants of the Gwangseong Church, not yet fully suppressed, were writhing.

The First Finger, Minos, was dead, but the Second Finger—who ranked below him—and the elite followers were still preparing to resist, armed with blind faith.

However, after confirming the determined looks in the eyes of the two women facing them, Taewoon turned away without hesitation.

The sound of Taewoon’s footsteps echoed unusually loud as he walked alone through the massive corridor. With every step, he could feel the density of the magical power in the air increasing exponentially against his skin.

For an ordinary Hunter, the mere act of standing in this space might have stopped their heart from the burden placed upon their body and soul.

‘…It’s suffocating.’

It wasn’t killing intent or a threat.

It was a pressure born from an overwhelming difference in Divine Authority—a presence that distorted the logic of the surroundings and rewrote the laws of nature simply by existing.

Taewoon finally reached the end of the corridor, arriving before the massive doors that blocked the deepest part of the Holy Sanctuary.

Grotesque reliefs, appearing to be from the mythical era, were carved into the doors, and a golden radiance leaked through the crevices.

‘Were you waiting?’

Taewoon felt that the entity beyond the door was aware of him—no, that it had been waiting for him to arrive here all along.

Before Taewoon could even touch them, the heavy doors began to open on their own.

Like the maw of a beast opening, or a gateway to the realm of a god swinging wide.

The brilliant light pouring out from beyond the doors filled Taewoon’s vision.

Squinting, Taewoon walked into the light.

It was a massive sanctuary, so grand that even the word “divine” felt insufficient. Seeing that it was far wider than it appeared from the outside, it was clear that some kind of transcendental power was at work.

And at the center, sitting upon a throne floating in mid-air, was a man.

A pure white robe, long silver hair, and golden eyes that seemed impossible for a human to possess.

The master of the Gwangseong Church, the one called the Saint.

‘…What an incredible aura.’

Taewoon unconsciously swallowed hard.

This was different from any entity he had encountered so far.

Even the Cult Leader of the Apocalypse Society, who had been one of Taewoon’s greatest enemies in the previous Theater, seemed like a mere candle flame compared to this man.

Kyurihi was simply sitting on the throne, resting her chin on her hand while looking down at Taewoon, yet that gaze alone gave Taewoon the sensation that his very soul was being pierced.

Taewoon intuited it.

Kyurihi had already broken through her shell and stepped into the edge of the limit a human could reach—no, the realm beyond it.

[You have… ascended the path of Transcendence.]

The moment Kyurihi spoke, the entire space resonated.

The magical power in the atmosphere vibrated, striking directly into the mind like an oracle delivered by a being of a higher dimension.

‘The Cult Leader of the Apocalypse Society showed a similar phenomenon… but this is on a much higher level.’

Instead of answering, Taewoon tightened his grip on Keshatus and Barata in both hands, taking a combat stance. Mitra’s Wings on his back unfurled massively, reacting to an instinctive sense of crisis.

However, Kyurihi didn’t even think about getting up from her seat. She simply observed the Crimson Mist and the light of dawn enveloping Taewoon’s entire body as if it were interesting.

[How hasty. You’ve come all this way after crushing my precious children, yet you don’t even have the leisure to catch your breath for a moment?]

“Do you intend to stall for time?”

Taewoon asked coldly.

Even at this moment, a massive Ritual that would swallow South Korea was proceeding at the sanctuary’s spire. The longer the conversation with Kyurihi lasted, the more disadvantaged Taewoon became.

Kyurihi smiled faintly. That smile was benevolent, yet simultaneously utterly arrogant.

[The Ritual will soon reach completion. That flow can no longer be stopped by anyone. However… there should be enough time to settle the score with you before then.]

As Kyurihi flicked a finger, the spatial pressure weighing down on Taewoon vanished as if it had been a lie.

[Before that, I wish to make a proposal.]

“A proposal?”

[Indeed. The power you possess, and your vessel. It is far too wasteful to let it rot in this small piece of land. Do you have any intention of joining me?]

An abrupt scouting offer. But Taewoon could read the sincerity contained within those words. Kyurihi recognized Taewoon not as an enemy, but as a peer.

“Nonsense. Have you forgotten what is happening on this land right now?”

[Haha.]

Despite Taewoon’s outburst, Kyurihi’s expression didn’t change.

[A difference in perspective. In the end, it is merely a matter of whether it happens sooner or later; the future awaiting a weak nation like South Korea is already decided. It is inevitable for a sandcastle to collapse before a giant wave.]

“That is not for you to decide.”

[Arrogant. Yet, I find even that arrogance pleasing.]

Kyurihi slowly rose from the throne. The mere act of her standing unleashed an oppressive aura that made Taewoon’s heart sink.

She slowly descended the stairs and asked Taewoon.

[As you approached the pinnacle as a Hunter, did you never once have such a question?]

“What question?”

[Why the truly powerful of this world—the Hunters said to have reached the realm of Level 9 and above—do not step into the forefront of human society. Why they leave power and fame behind to live in seclusion, immersing themselves entirely in time meant only for themselves.]

Taewoon’s expression stiffened.

It was a question that Taewoon himself had vaguely harbored.

It is known that in various countries, besides the officially recognized top-tier Hunters, there exist reclusive Experts with transcendental martial power.

However, they rarely showed themselves even during Dungeon Breaks or national disasters. As if they had no interest in the affairs of the secular world.

‘Before, I simply thought it was because they had become too strong, but…’

After witnessing the End of Dawn in the Theater and facing numerous mythical beings, Taewoon’s thoughts were gradually changing.

Perhaps they knew some kind of secret that most people in the world did not?

Catching the flicker in Taewoon’s eyes, Kyurihi laughed softly.

[It seems you had already guessed…]

Kyurihi approached right in front of Taewoon. Within her golden eyes, a manic conviction and a deep void coexisted.

[Those who reach the pinnacle of the human world, break their shell, and look toward higher places inevitably realize it. The true form of this world we stand upon.]

Kyurihi reached her hand toward the air. Then, the ceiling of the sanctuary—the night sky embroidered with stars—distorted, revealing grotesque shapes.

They were giant eyes staring intently from the gaps between dimensions, the world beyond the Dungeons, and the shadows of predators with endless appetites.

[This world is merely a paltry cradle of life, a fish farm barely sustained by a single thin membrane. Dungeons? Monsters? Those are merely precursors to the Calamity, nothing more than rainwater leaking out before the sky shatters.]

Kyurihi’s voice grew increasingly heightened.

[The day that protection reaches its end, a true Calamity that cannot be resisted will arrive. When that time comes, things like nations, society, or justice will hold no meaning. Humans will simply… be reduced to prey.]

It was a story that aligned with the End of Dawn that Taewoon had seen in the previous Theater.

“So, are you saying you’ll become a god to stop that Calamity?”

[Stop it? No, you are wrong. The Calamity is not something that can be stopped.]

Kyurihi shook her head.

[The only thing we can do is stand on an equal footing with them. To break out of the cradle and become the predator. Only when someone walks the path of Transcendence and reaches the realm of true Divine Authority can we finally possess the qualification to discuss the survival of this fragile species.]

That was Kyurihi’s conclusion.

Not sacrificing the many for the few, but an extreme utilitarianism that would burn current humanity as fuel for the perpetuation of the species.

[Though the methods differ… almost everyone with the qualification seeks to reach such a realm through their own laws. The reason they left the secular world, and the reason I established myself on this land, are all the same.]

Kyurihi’s gaze fixed on Taewoon.

[I will gather all the life force and magical power of this land, which has the best compatibility with me spiritually, to complete a perfect vessel of Transcendence. That is the path I have chosen. Now, I ask again. Will you stand beside me to open a new era, or… will you vanish like dust while screaming your fleeting convictions?]

Taewoon closed his eyes for a moment.

There was no hesitation in Kyurihi’s words. The truth of the world she saw was likely not a lie.

However.

‘…What a tedious conclusion.’

The Dawn Assembly tried to create an artificial god, the Ark tried to flee, and the Apocalypse Society chose death. And now Kyurihi intends to become a monster herself to swallow the world.

Taewoon opened his eyes. By now, Taewoon’s pupils were burning more brilliantly than Kyurihi’s gold, and redder than the Red Man.

“What a grand piece of sophistry.”

[…Ho.]

The words that came from Taewoon’s mouth were a sneer that defied Kyurihi’s expectations.

Taewoon slammed Barata into the ground, and immediately, the floor of the sanctuary split as a golden Fortress Wall soared upward.

“Saint Kyurihi. Today, this place… is your end.”