Chapter 214 – Believe in the Hero Church (1)

“You have such kind-looking muscles.”

Kim Tae-yang was on his way home after finishing his workout.

“Yeah. I guess.”

He scratched his head.

A beautiful woman who was just his type was smiling at him with a friendly expression, and it put him in a good mood for no reason.

“Your big three total is 300?”

“400.”

“Ah, that explains it. I could tell by the sparkle in your eyes.”

He had no idea what the big three lifts had to do with the look in his eyes, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

The woman had a strangely pleasant scent.

‘Is she interested in me?’

He’d been feeling down after breaking up with his girlfriend recently, but having a beautiful woman show interest in him was incredibly gratifying.

‘I have been on a roll lately.’

Kim Tae-yang was what you would call a successful hunter.

In just one year, he had become an A-rank hunter and established himself as a flagship member of a major guild like Hanul.

Above all, his mentor, Hyunbin, had earned the title of the strongest hunter in the country.

Of course, there were still people who insisted Yeomje was number one, but everyone knew the truth.

The hunter the entire world was watching wasn’t Yeomje, but the Delivery Man.

“Do you have some time, by any chance?”

“Well, I’m done with my workout for today, so I’m free.”

As Kim Tae-yang said that, he mentally kicked himself. If he seemed too easy, she might think he was a pushover. He wondered if he should play hard to get, but her eyes immediately started to sparkle.

“Then would you like to go for a protein shake with me?”

“A protein shake?”

It was a rather odd choice of menu.

‘Don’t people usually get coffee or drinks in situations like this?’

She must just be a woman who likes protein drinks. That’s what Kim Tae-yang thought.

“You don’t want to, Oppa…?”

“…!”

The woman said, blushing slightly.

They had only just met, and she was already calling him Oppa.

‘Such is my fatal charm.’

He was a sinful man.

Feeling once again the burden of being a handsome man, Kim Tae-yang flashed his pearly whites.

“Oppa fucking loves protein!”

In truth, he had some trauma because of Hyunbin, but he was confident he could overcome it for love.

Kim Tae-yang walked down the street with the woman of his dreams.

People passing by would glance at *his* girl.

They weren’t a couple yet, but it felt like the green light was so bright it might blind him.

This was certain.

It was fate.

“Oppa, this is the hot new place.”

“Really? Fucking awesome!”

The building was definitely new.

It looked like they’d slapped a lot of money on it, too.

Lately, many new buildings were going up around the Hanul Guild.

In a world where gates could open anywhere at any time, it was natural for land prices around guilds to rise.

‘Isn’t this place super expensive?’

Kim Tae-yang had that thought but quickly curled his lips into a smile.

No matter how expensive, there was no food an A-rank hunter couldn’t afford.

“To celebrate meeting you, it’s my treat.”

“Oppa’s got plenty of money.”

“I’m the one who suggested it. It’s okay.”

Kim Tae-yang’s mood improved even more.

It wasn’t because he was saving money.

He believed that on a first date, the man should always pay. But seeing her pull out her wallet first made it seem like she was really into him.

He truly was a sinful man.

“This is my regular spot.”

The two of them went to a cafe.

It had a very exotic atmosphere.

“Sir, two protein shakes over here!”

A man who looked more like a gangster than a manager started vigorously shaking the protein mix.

“Oppa, do you like working on your upper body or lower body more?”

“Oppa? Oppa’s amazing at everything!”

“But there must be something you like more.”

“For a man, it’s all about the lower body!”

“Oh, I see. I like lower body workouts more, too.”

Watching her cute smile, Kim Tae-yang pictured himself at their wedding.

The protein shakes were served quickly.

Of course, that wasn’t all.

A plate of cutely decorated chicken breast came with it.

“I feel like we really connect well.”

“Oppa’s always been amazing.”

“Haha, you’re so cute.”

Seeing the woman practically swoon at his every word, Kim Tae-yang’s confidence soared.

Something felt right. This woman truly seemed like his fated one.

Her clear, smiling eyes. And that deep fragrance that kept making his heart pound.

“I want to see you work out, Oppa.”

“Work out? You want me to teach you?”

“Really? The floor right below this is the gym I go to. Should we sign up together?”

She said it as if she’d been waiting for him to ask.

Kim Tae-yang bit his lip and clenched his fist.

-Hahaha, my dear Tae-yang. Muscles need to be torn periodically. Now, shall we do a little more? More, more, more, more!

Hyunbin’s vicious laughter echoed in his mind.

Working out with a bunch of burly men was not enjoyable at all.

However, working out with the woman of his dreams was different.

If they did it together, their love would grow along with their muscles.

“Oppa, here, here. This way.”

He thought she had said it was the floor right below, but they were going way too far down.

A floor without a single window.

In other words, they were heading into the basement.

‘What the, she said we were going to a gym, but she’s luring me into a dark place.’

Kim Tae-yang’s eyes narrowed.

He had a very strong feeling about this.

‘She’s totally fallen for me. The little vixen.’

Kim Tae-yang smirked lecherously.

Just as expected from someone who works out; she was very proactive.

But Kim Tae-yang was about to be disappointed.

The place she led him to was, in fact, a gym.

“Hello, Prophet!”

‘Prophet?’

Kim Tae-yang looked at the person she had greeted.

It was a woman with vibrant green hair tied up in buns.

‘Whoa, she’s gorgeous!’

Kim Tae-yang gulped without realizing it.

She was a stunning beauty with fair skin reminiscent of a doll and distinct features.

‘But…’

Kim Tae-yang looked up.

As she approached, he saw she was more than a head taller than him.

And that wasn’t all. Her physique was bear-like, and her rippling muscles were in stark contrast to her cute face.

“Your muscles look so virtuous.”

Her voice was clear, yet strangely sinister.

“Hoo, hoo, power! Power! I am power!”

“Get up, you have to do legs. Done? There is no done. You stop, you die.”

Everywhere he looked, there were people who seemed to be crazy about working out.

Every single one of them was enormously muscular.

“Oh my, look at his abs. A perfectly crafted chocolate bar.”

In one corner was a massive pile of protein powder.

Kim Tae-yang’s pupils began to tremble.

Inside, countless people were gathered, working out—no, torturing their bodies.

“Come try out a good dumbbell before you go.”

“I don’t need to…”

The outcome was already decided.

His refusal was refused.

“Did you know that black magic and weightlifting are actually the same?”

He didn’t want to answer.

“Black magic and weightlifting both wound and inflict pain upon our bodies. And they draw out our energy.”

Kim Tae-yang took a step back.

“But in return, they grant us great power.”

Men in black suits had suddenly formed a barricade. Each one looked like they could handle a 500kg big three total.

“Wouldn’t you like to become strong with us?”

The green-haired woman with the massive physique said with a bright smile.

Her smile, twisted in some undefinable way, reminded him of Hyunbin.

Kim Tae-yang could feel the danger in his bones.

“Oppa, Oppa. Where are you going! You have to shred those muscles!”

Kim Tae-yang saw it.

The clothes his girl was wearing.

‘Hero Heaven, Unbeliever Hell.’

Red letters written in cursive on a white t-shirt.

It was that religion that had been gaining infamy recently.

He’d been caught by the “Do you know about muscles?” people.

“Ha, fuck.”

Kim Tae-yang snorted.

He’d thought he was having a lucky day. He never imagined they would use a pretty face as bait like this.

According to rumors, they were an illegal cult that lured and kidnapped people to force them to lift iron.

“Sorry, but you picked the wrong guy.”

Kim Tae-yang grinned.

Lifting weights makes the body strong. But the simple fact is that physical strength doesn’t equate to fighting skill.

Even with far less muscle mass, one couldn’t beat a well-trained martial artist.

And Kim Tae-yang was a well-trained hunter, more confident than anyone in one-on-one combat.

“Move, while I’m asking nicely.”

“Why don’t you stay and listen to the good word instead?”

The hulking gangster-priests blocked the entrance, refusing to let him pass.

Kim Tae-yang scoffed.

He had given them a clear warning.

“If you think I’m like all the other suckers…”

Kim Tae-yang shifted his feet.

“You’re fucked, you know?”

*Pow!*

Kim Tae-yang suddenly rushed forward and threw a straight punch.

One of the gangster-priests, unable to block in time, took the hit squarely and went down.

In an instant, the wall of men crumbled.

But Kim Tae-yang didn’t run.

“This bastard!”

“What about it, bastard?”

“Stop him!”

“Yeah, you can’t.”

*Pow!*

Each time Kim Tae-yang’s punches landed, the gangster-priests began to fall apart.

Pro versus amateur.

The difference was obvious.

“Wow! Is this a domino rally? Why are you all falling in a line?”

“!”

The gangster-priests were flustered.

For a kid in his early twenties, he fought with the experience of someone who had made a living from it.

He was a hunter personally raised and trained by Lee Hyunbin. There was no way he would be weak.

“Thanks for the fun, I’ll be leaving now?”

Kim Tae-yang sneered at the fallen mob and casually walked toward the exit.

“…?”

In that moment, Kim Tae-yang felt a chill run down his spine.

The feeling of being targeted by a wild beast.

The same feeling he got from Hyunbin or Siegfried was now washing over him in this very place.

“…!”

Hearing an unusual sound cutting through the air, Kim Tae-yang dodged to the side.

*CRASH!*

The iron door he was about to exit through was struck by something and blown away.

“Huh?”

It was an arrow.

No, to be precise, it was a barbell.

“What, who threw…”

Turning around, Kim Tae-yang saw her.

The green-haired woman with a doll-like face and a not-so-doll-like inverted-triangle physique was loading a barbell onto a greatbow that looked difficult to even lift.

“Your right leg must be in a lot of pain, right? Working out will make it better.”

“My, my leg doesn’t hurt?”

The long-eared, green-haired woman smiled gently.

“It will start hurting now.”

A barbell came flying.

Startled, Kim Tae-yang dodged to the side.

*Swoosh!*

Kim Tae-yang felt a tingling sensation on the back of his neck.

A sense of crisis he felt instinctively.

Kim Tae-yang immediately turned and lowered his body.

*CRASH!*

The arrow—no, the barbell—that had been fired in an arc changed its trajectory in a predictive shot.

A cold sweat ran down Kim Tae-yang’s spine.

There was no guarantee he could dodge it again.

‘Strike first.’

The way to deal with an archer was simple.

Close the distance and overwhelm them.

Kim Tae-yang charged forward.

The longer he hesitated, the more opportunities he gave his opponent, and the closer the danger would come.

“Stop that bastard!”

The believers in their “Hero Heaven, Unbeliever Hell” t-shirts moved to block Kim Tae-yang.

He quickly stepped past them.

He took a kukri from his inventory and gripped it tightly.

Instantly closing the distance with the green-haired woman, Kim Tae-yang channeled mana into his weapon.

His opponent shot the barbell. At close range, it was actually easier to dodge.

Kim Tae-yang counted silently.

One, two.

At the exact moment she released the bowstring.

Three!

He lunged forward, his body low to the ground.

*FWOOSH!*

The sound of the projectile tearing through the air passed over his head.

Kim Tae-yang swung his kukri at his opponent’s side.

*Thud!*

He had aimed for the back of the blade, not wanting to kill her, but it should have at least broken a few ribs.

“…?”

Feeling a stinging sensation in his hand, Kim Tae-yang slowly raised his head.

The smiling, green-haired elf spoke in a clear voice.

“Highly trained muscles are indistinguishable from magic.”

For a moment, Kim Tae-yang felt his vision go dark.

“Welcome to the Church of Muscle, my dear believer.”

He had been captured by a cult.