Chapter 182: Hero.

Until returning to the base of the Hero Worship Cult, the priest of the Hero Worship Cult was full of confidence.

He thought that upon delivering the news that Alchemy Slime had ruined the blessing, everyone would be furious.

After protesting to Alchemy Slime, he would make them take responsibility for it.

Thus, the blessing ruined by Alchemy Slime would be safely restored.

He believed that.

The priest’s thoughts were correct in the first part.

“How could you do such a shameless act!”

Upon hearing that Alchemy Slime had ruined the blessing, the high priest was greatly enraged.

But as he read the priest’s report, the more he read, the more the light of anger faded.

“I will immediately inform the sponsors and prepare to protest.”

“Wait a moment. This is not something to approach so hastily.”

The priest could not believe the high priest’s words.

This was a matter related to the blessing, which was not an exaggeration to say was the most important thing in the Hero Worship Cult.

It was something that should immediately make the entire Hero Worship Cult rise up in revolt.

What on earth was there to hesitate about?

Even if things went wrong, at most, they would just not be able to use <Slime>.

From the beginning, to revive the blessing, they had to give up <Slime>.

So, there was nothing to be afraid of.

“We’ll hold a meeting, so wait. You keep this matter quiet until the meeting ends and don’t leave the room.”

But because of the clear hierarchy difference, he could not argue further.

The entire leadership of the Hero Worship Cult gathered for a meeting.

Upon hearing the result, the priest felt as if he was having a nightmare.

“Go back and deliver this letter.”

It was decided to send the letter quietly, not even an official protest.

The priest could not tolerate it at all.

“Alchemy Slime is no different from killing our hero! It ruined the future of eradicating monsters from the world! What on earth is so scary!”

“It’s already decided.”

The priest was astonished at the high priest’s answer.

But it didn’t seem like arguing more would change anything.

So, he brought up a more important topic.

“What about restoring the blessing?”

“We cannot give up <Slime>.”

“Why not!”

“Do you know how much the injury rate in dungeons has decreased after using <Slime>?”

The Hero Worship Cult also played the role of hunter guilds.

Besides sending heroes to dungeons, they also trained hunters and sent them into dungeons.

“Our purpose is to erase dungeons from the world and eradicate monsters. How could we give up <Slime>, which is so helpful in killing monsters and raiding dungeons?”

“Then at least make the hunters and other members, as well as the sponsors, give up <Slime> to show our resolve.”

He could not just go back like this.

If no one gives up <Slime>, how would Alchemy Slime think?

It’s obvious they would doubt the Hero Worship Cult’s sincerity.

“That is also written in the letter.”

“Surely you’re not saying we won’t give up <Slime>?”

The high priest did not answer.

“<Slime> will be declared not a monster. So, please show mercy. That’s not what’s in it, right!”

“No, just because it’s a slime doesn’t mean it has to be a monster. We must avoid rejecting it just because it has a similar form.”

The priest despaired.

The high priest before him was the leader of the anti-<Slime> faction.

Yet, he was now fully echoing the pro-<Slime> arguments.

“High Priest….”

The priest reached out his hand.

Then, the high priest avoided him as if he were approaching someone with the plague.

The high priest realized his own actions a moment later.

“Go right now and deliver this letter and apologize.”

Instead, he got angry and threw the letter before fleeing like he was running away.

The priest looked at the left-behind letter.

Knowing he shouldn’t, he still checked the contents.

“….”

With staggering footsteps, the priest left the room.

He went straight to his acquaintances and asked.

Whether they would join in not receiving the blessing that avoids <Slime>.

“Didn’t the high priests decide not to give it up?”

His faith was shaken.

“What would change if just we did that? It’s pointless unless everyone gives it up.”

If they gave up <Slime>, they could reclaim the blessing.

“I’m fine, but I have family who cures diseases with <Slime>….”

But no one was willing to give it up.

Amid discussions about rejecting <Slime>, it was revealed that an astonishing number of people had been secretly using <Slime>.

What about the hatred for monsters?

The noble ideal of eradicating monsters from Earth?

Even the high priest, who was thought to hate monsters the most in the world, weighed <Slime> against the ideal and immediately chose <Slime>.

Only then could the priest understand the true meaning of the high priest’s actions.

The high priest had opposed <Slime> only because of factional fights. As soon as actual losses seemed likely, he changed his words.

If even the high priest was like that, what about the sponsors?

‘Was everything I believed in an illusion?’

The priest clutched the letter and headed to Slime Land.

***

The priest who came alone to Slime Land had an expression as if he had been betrayed by the world.

Reading the extended letter, one could understand why he looked like that.

The Hero Worship Cult had planned to import <Slime> cheaply through this opportunity.

Moreover, it seemed they didn’t fully believe the words that I had erased the blessing.

Well, the leadership would know information that hasn’t been revealed.

Based on that information, it’s right that the blessing should be revived.

Sorry, but I’m not that sane of a being, so that belief will be denied.

Anyway.

Should I tell the truth to the priest, who has an expression like he’s been abandoned by the world?

Since Slime Land is a place to lay down the burdens of the heart.

I ignited golden flames in the palm of my hand.

“That is!”

“Yes. It’s the blessing that creates the hero you all worship.”

When I burn this blessing with the [Purification+] skill’s flames, I saw the lives of those who possessed it.

Along with that, I could obtain various pieces of information.

“The reason I’m overlooking you all is because I understand the background of how this blessing was born.”

This blessing was created in the early days of dungeon occurrences.

It was a time when humanity couldn’t properly respond to the sudden situation, and many people died to monsters.

At that time, this flame of hatred was raw.

Those possessed by it threw themselves at monsters.

They lived lives like fuses, mercilessly burning monsters.

Once one fuse burned out, the flame of hatred passed to another person who hated monsters.

The more it burned the lives of monsters and people, the stronger the flame became.

Numerous lives burned.

The people who burned away like that did not regret it.

Because they died without any time to regret.

But those around the one who burned could not do that.

To them, the one who burned was a precious person.

They sought a way to suppress the flame of hatred.

They wished for the flame to burn only hatred instead of lives.

That intention mixed with the flame of hatred.

Thus, the blessing of the golden flame was born.

“This is the background of how this blessing was born.”

“Is that really true?”

“Whether you believe it or not, that’s your choice.”

At that time, this flame was truly a blessing.

Because with the power of this blessing, one could vent accumulated resentment and be liberated from hatred.

But the problem is that this blessing was created as it transferred from person to person.

Each time it passed from one person to another, their emotions accumulated in this blessing.

Not everyone hated all monsters.

One dungeon. A certain monster.

There were people who resented only specific targets.

But when one possessed this blessing, that hatred expanded to all monsters.

Making the extermination of monsters essentially impossible.

The hatred was never resolved, and the blessing burned its owner again.

Thus, the owner of a certain special skill sealed the blessing.

They minimized the influence of hatred and created a control device to extract and use only the power.

And they created an organization to teach the owners how to handle this blessing.

“Your organization was born this way.”

“….”

“The stories passed down are different, right? Back then, they weren’t hero worshippers.”

People change when faced with strong power.

There are people who worship that power.

There are those who want to use that power.

No matter what dungeon.

No matter what monster.

Those who held a powerful weapon that could defeat them all corrupted.

Not an organization that protects the blessing’s owner.

But an organization that adorns itself with the grandiose word ‘worship’ and wields the blessing’s owner.

“….”

“It seems you have an idea. Haven’t you noticed that recently they’re more focused on the hunter industry? That’s because the value of heroes has fallen compared to before. They’re looking for other weapons to wield.”

In the current stable hunter industry.

The Hero Worship Cult doesn’t have its former prestige.

That’s why the Hero Worship Cult is showing movements that prioritize hunter training over obsessing with heroes.

Because of this weakened prestige and decreased value of heroes, the Peace Guild could protect Gisu.

The Hero Worship Cult is outwardly a benevolent organization striving for humanity’s peace.

And there are not a few members, like this priest, who believe it’s truly that way.

So, they probably couldn’t use excessively coercive means.

They must have thought that soon the Peace Guild wouldn’t be able to control Gisu and would let go.

But that’s not the case.

Unfortunately for them, around this blessing’s owner, there was the owner of the [Barrier☆] skill.

Although it was before awakening and the power was weak, it succeeded in suppressing the flame temporarily.

Gisu succeeded in forming a solid foundation before being completely consumed by the flame.

“Securing a large number of hunters rather than heroes helps more in exterminating monsters, for better or worse, it’s more profitable and increases prestige. That’s why your higher-ups changed the course.”

“Still, heroes are needed.”

It seemed he believed my words, but the priest still insisted on the need for heroes.

“No. In the future world, heroes captured by this hatred are not needed.”

Compared to when this blessing occurred, the number of accidents has decreased significantly.

Because technology has advanced and systems are in place.

Even if I do nothing, as humanity develops, the feeling of hating monsters will continue to decrease.

“From now on, I’ll do my best to ensure that the very feeling of hating monsters doesn’t arise.”

Moreover, if I contribute, the hatred for monsters will disappear even faster.

Providing <Slime> so that hunters can hunt more safely.

And planning to educate so that hunters can prepare for accidents.

If necessary, I’ll even handle dungeons directly.

“As long as I’m here, the flame that sacrifices people to burn monsters is no longer needed. So I erased it. Any complaints?”

The priest did not answer.

“If not, then leave.”

***

The prejudice that had long blinded his eyes was stripped away by betrayal, and the priest could see straight ahead.

There was a hero.

But not the hero he had always believed in.

Because he didn’t hold the noble intention to erase monsters from the world.

Nevertheless, he was undoubtedly a hero.

What they had always believed to be a blessing contained two things.

The mind that hates monsters and.

The mind that wants to protect precious people.

What is the reason for hating monsters?

Isn’t it because something precious was taken away?

From the beginning, to prevent precious things from being taken by monsters.

Alchemy Slime declared that.

The mind that hates monsters.

The mind that wants to protect people.

Which one is the core of the blessing that makes the hero they worship?

To exterminate monsters with a heart full of hatred.

To protect people with a heart full of benevolence.

Which one is truly more noble?

Which one’s heart is worthy of being called a hero?

Which hero will be worshipped?

As the priest was organizing his thoughts and leaving, someone approached him.

It was a strange person with purple hair wriggling.