Chapter 31

【Condition 1: Must be wearing the Red Wax Mask】

【Condition 2: There must be even a small amount of darkness within a space of approximately 8 pyeong】

【Condition 3: An appropriate amount of sacrifice must be offered to the Red Wax Mask】

【Condition Fulfilled】

‘…Activate.’

【Cinema Skill: The Red Man】

A chilling aura and crimson mist flowed from the red mask. In an instant, Taewoon kicked off the ground, reached the priest, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, and lifted him into the air.

“Keh, cough! How…!”

“I’ll ask only once. Do you have a way to break their brainwashing?”

“Brainwashing?! They are all followers of the Gwangseong Church who have embraced a pious heart of their own free will—”

Taewoon let out a sigh and swung his arm. The priest’s body was thrown as if flying through the air, colliding with the inner wall of the chapel with a dull thud.

As the oppressive aura subsided, Seokhwan, who had been shaking off the pressure and readjusting his stance, approached Taewoon with a slightly hesitant look.

“What was that? Is that your Trait?”

“…Something like that. Though it’s not the only one.”

Seokhwan stared intently at Taewoon as if fascinated, beginning to examine the mask, but it was not yet the time to be so relaxed.

The strange aura emanating from the priest, far from hiding its form, was swelling with an increasingly ferocious aura.

“How dare you, how dare you… in the sacred shrine of Kyurihi, to me…!”

“Geez. There’s the true nature coming out. I knew it. Pious followers, my foot.”

Seokhwan sneered spitefully and fired all the chains he had previously deployed and hidden in a corner of the chapel, binding the priest’s torso and legs.

In an instant, the priest became like a caterpillar wrapped in a cocoon, losing his freedom of movement. However, that only lasted a moment before a blinding light erupted, and all the chains snapped and vanished.

“Tsk! I guess it doesn’t work!”

“I’ll handle him. Seokhwan, you take care of Changsu.”

“Right, got it. I’ll bring him back even if I have to knock him unconscious.”

Taewoon stopped talking and focused his attention carefully to examine the priest’s condition.

He had felt something was strange, and sure enough, the priest had been slowly draining the life force of the followers present to fuel his abilities.

It was possible that he had been repeating this act daily, not just right now.

“…Absurd. What do you think you can achieve alone? I only restrained myself because I did not wish for a great commotion, but the grace of the Great Kyurihi does not end with a mere trifle like this.”

“…….”

Ignoring the priest’s voice, Taewoon looked at the followers, who were now silent with blank expressions.

Then, he summoned a dark green spear from the air and slammed it straight down into the chapel floor.

【Condition 1: There must be a target to protect with a sincere heart】

【Condition 2: There must be a threat or crisis facing the target of protection】

【Condition 3: A proper casting posture must be taken using a body part or a tool】

【Condition Fulfilled】

▶【Cinema Skill: Final Rampart】

【Creating a Level 3 Equivalent Semi-Automatic Protective Zone targeting an area with a 7-meter radius!】

A significant amount of magical power drained from his body, accompanied by a corresponding sense of lethargy.

A massive golden energy, as if a magnetic field had been materialized, began to protect the bodies of the followers and fundamentally block all attacks.

“T-this can’t be, why…!”

As the flowing life force was suddenly cut off, the priest’s face contorted in disbelief, and he slowly stepped backward.

But that was short-lived. He soon let out a roar, drawing out all his strength to create a giant hand of light. Seeing this, Taewoon aimed his spear at the priest with an indifferent expression.

“…Pierce through, Barata.”

Immediately, underground tree vines shot out at a fierce speed, striking the priest’s body in various places and growing incessantly until they slammed into the wall and stopped moving.

“Kuh-ack…!”

He hadn’t dealt a fatal blow. He had simply used the vines to pin the priest against the wall, rendering him unable to move.

At the same time, the citizens who had been lying unconscious with blank expressions began to wake up one by one and check their condition.

“Where am I…”

“P-priest, are you alright? What on earth is…”

“Huh, what day is it? I’m sure I stopped by the chapel this morning…”

The reactions of the people varied.

Some worried about the priest, who was immobilized by the vines, while others tilted their heads or frowned as if they had a headache.

What was certain was that they were no longer in a state of delirium or exhibiting blind obedience as they had before.

‘Is this the effect of the Final Rampart skill…?’

A Level 3 Equivalent Semi-Automatic Protective Zone, and the granting of Level 2 Equivalent mental immunity and Chaos Resistance Effect.

Judging by the reactions before him, it seemed clear that the Final Rampart skill helped alleviate the symptoms, regardless of the difference in the duration of their initiation into the Gwangseong Church.

“Kuh, f-followers! This is a heretic… Seize this man who denied the grace of Lord Kyurihi! Right now…!”

The priest screamed desperately, but not many of the followers moved, even awkwardly.

Taewoon glanced at the priest, let out a sigh, and turned away without hesitation.

“Kuh! Do you think the Main Sect will not impose any sanctions after such atrocities in a sacred Holy Sanctuary? You will surely regret that arrogant thought…!”

“I don’t know. Would they really go out of their way for a mere ordinary priest? I heard the high-ranking officials of the Gwangseong Church are as sluggish as their reputation suggests.”

The influence of the Gwangseong Church is spread widely across the world. And a small chapel in South Korea is not even worth their attention.

However, as if to shatter that expectation, the priest let out a truly sinister laugh and began to issue repeated warnings to Taewoon.

“…Hehehe, truly an ignorant soul. How pitiful is it that you cannot perceive even what lies an inch ahead?”

“…….”

“Since God has promised, one of the Great Five Fingers will soon arrive in this land… Your sins will also be judged accordingly when that time comes.”

Taewoon ignored the continuing words and left the chapel.

There was no guarantee that those words were true, and even if they were, it didn’t change anything.

However, if such a thing truly happened…

‘…Whatever happens, I will never just take it lying down.’

It was only a single encounter, but he felt that even if heaven and earth were overturned, he could never get along with people like them.

With that firm resolve, Taewoon hurried away from the street and headed toward the meeting point where everyone would be waiting.

After all, what he had to do was already decided.

“Guild Master, please, couldn’t you just let me go… I have a mountain of work to do at the chapel right now…!”

Everyone present reacted with awkwardness as they watched Changsu struggle desperately, bound by the silk cords summoned by Hongyeon.

“J-just how much did they work this person to make him like this…?”

“It seems this friend was particularly heavily influenced… Will he really be alright?”

“Uh, just toss him over there and let’s go. I have plenty of ways to resolve symptoms of this level.”

Those words were surely not a lie. Hongyeon was a high-ranking Hunter capable of competing even with the renowned ‘Five Fingers.’

“And don’t worry too much about what that cultist said. It’s likely a bluff, and it’s something I can sufficiently cover on my end.”

“Is that so?”

“To be blunt, it’s Level 8 Kyurihi or the First Finger who is Level 7 that are scary. Anyone below them is… anyway, you can consider it nothing to worry about.”

According to Hongyeon, a powerhouse of that level would automatically become a target of surveillance by everyone the moment they set foot in this land.

Nodding at those words, Taewoon stood up and moved toward the door.

“Ah, by the way, is there anything special you want, separate from the contract? Since the job was finished cleanly, I’ll grant you one reasonable request.”

“…Would it be alright if I keep it as a debt for now? Nothing comes to mind immediately.”

“I don’t usually do things like that… well, fine. Do it that way.”

Having received that confirmation, Taewoon finally arrived at his longed-for home and laid his exhausted body on the bed.

‘…….’

Immediately after clearing the Theater of the Final Rampart, Taewoon had achieved a truly surprising level of accomplishment, both subjectively and objectively.

However, it was absurd to be satisfied and complacent with that.

Through this incident, he had once again clearly realized that fact.

‘Being at a mediocre level is meaningless. In the end, you’ll just be devoured by a greater power.’

The Association, the government, and even Hongyeon—in the end, they were all remaining silent, unable to properly use the power they possessed because they were walking on eggshells around the more powerful existence, Kyurihi.

But if that were the case, who on earth would step forward to represent everyone’s position when the truly necessary moment arrived?

There was no one in South Korea, at least for now, who could provide that answer.

‘Kyurihi, and the Five Fingers….’

Whoever they were, they were powerhouses that the current Taewoon dared not oppose.

Even the weakest Finger was a Level 5-rank Hunter capable of crushing mountains and splitting seas, and the Level 8 Kyurihi was close to a transcendent being that even the leading global powers spoke of in hushed tones.

The situation was becoming ominous.

Ultimately, Taewoon also needed to grow and become stronger even faster.

‘…In that case, as expected.’

All the answers lay within the Theater of All Things.

He had felt it was unusual from the start, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized the immense potential of his Unique Trait.

‘I originally intended to watch the situation a bit longer, but….’

Looking at the single silver ticket in his hand, Taewoon pondered quietly before finally nodding.

He decided to use the Rare Grade Ticket obtained from The Mirror to gain an additional entry opportunity to the Theater.

As he slowly approached the mirror and expressed his intention to enter the Theater, the ticket responded, beginning to emit a mysterious and subtle light.

However.

【The Theater of All Things evolves to the next stage!】

【Companion Entry function has been added!】

【Would you like to select a companion? (0/1)】

▶【Vacant】

‘…Huh?’

At the unexpected message, Taewoon’s brow furrowed in bewilderment.