661

[Chapter 171]

[Crimson Wings (4)]

Humans were persistent.

Just when it seemed they would finally give up, something would become a catalyst and they would stand up again.

Whiiieeeaaaaooooo

Ye-gyeong couldn't understand.

Why don't they give up?

Why don't they resign themselves?

Why don't they retreat?

Humans who seemed like they would quietly become its food if the Cocoon was just destroyed kept resisting endlessly.

Must... recover... strength.

Four days.

Ye-gyeong, who had been flying around Gangbuk's skies and receiving Players' interceptions, was covered in all kinds of wounds.

With each passing day, the wounds increased, and now Ye-gyeong was gradually running out of strength.

One-Shot Style Extreme, Snow Dragon

Imperial Sword 7th Style, Ground Collapse

Those who were persistently sticking to it now, attacking tirelessly.

The woman with blue hair fluttering.

And the man with short hair.

The attacks of these two were inflicting quite significant damage on Ye-gyeong.

But it was in a state where its stamina had already dropped somewhat before fighting them.

It's because of that guy.

That human made me like this.

The man who blocked its attack just the day before, and tormented it for three days.

That man was the cause.

Fortunately, though it's said that man was killed using the army, the wounds carved on Ye-gyeong's body weren't healed.

Finally, Ye-gyeong who was utterly exhausted had to change direction while hovering in the skies over Jongno-gu.

Strength is lacking.

Must recover strength.

It had to quickly recover its stamina.

Ye-gyeong knew those two chasing it wouldn't be able to follow if it flew high into the sky.

So it ascended vertically, rising to where Gangbuk looked infinitely small.

Whiiieeeeaaaaooooo

Then a steep dive.

The place Ye-gyeong was aiming for was where defenses were weak and there were no Players who could stop it.

Jung-gu, which had been driven to the point of being half-destroyed from fighting with that man and itself yesterday.

Whiiiieeeeeeaaaaaooooo

Monsters crave mana.

Humans possessing mana were such attractive prey.

Ye-gyeong sucked in Players who were fighting in the surrounding area and people helping them as if inhaling a large amount of air.

""""──!!!""""

At Ye-gyeong's sudden appearance.

People screamed and fled.

Whiiiiiieeeeeeaaaaaaoooo

As expected.

There is no one to stop me.

Ye-gyeong opened its maw to eat the fleeing people while watching them.

☆

Noh Eun-ha.

News that he had died spread widely and became a story everyone in Gangbuk knew.

But news that he hadn't died didn't spread widely.

The previous day, the sight of him falling defenseless to the ground after facing Ye-gyeong alone left a strong impression on people.

"It's coming! It's coming this way!"

"Kyaaaah!!" "Save me! Someone do something! I don't want to die like this!!"

"It's coming, it's coming, it will come... Why does it have to come here of all places..."

"Savemesavemesavemesavemesavemesaveme I'lldoanythingyousayjustpleasesavemepleasesaveme!!!"

There is no one to replace Noh Eun-ha.

Has there been anyone besides Noh Eun-ha who took down a Level 3 army commander until now?

So there is no one left who can save them.

Just how strong is Ye-gyeong?

Can it really be subjugated?

People who couldn't erase such doubts had to fall into terrible despair and inescapable panic.

Especially the fear felt by Jung-gu people who witnessed Ye-gyeong up close the previous day was indescribable.

"Run away! We have to get out of here!"

"Where on earth are we supposed to go! Where can we be safe!"

But Ye-gyeong appeared in Jung-gu.

There was no need to even hear news from the Mana Management Organization.

Jung-gu people despaired seeing Ye-gyeong visible in the sky from anywhere just by looking up.

And they had to tremble in fear watching it swallow people while diving steeply once.

The sight of something human-like falling from the creature's raised mouth or a person falling as a leg caught in its mouth was torn off with a crack.

There was no way anyone could maintain composure seeing that.

"Run away! It's coming this way!!" "Player!! Hurry up and stop it!!"

Ye-gyeong turns Jung-gu into a wasteland.

People fled blindly.

They didn't know where they should go.

Just wanting to get far away from it, they ran pushing past people in front of them.

Those who truly felt their lives in danger found even the luggage they had packed cumbersome.

They scattered everything weighing down their bodies into the air.

Jewels and bundles of bills fluttered, but no one cared.

"...Mommy!! Mommy!!"

"Wait! There's a child over there! Let me go there! Please move aside!!"

As people started running blindly, those falling behind were children with slow steps or the elderly.

People running with them ended up separated, swept away by the crowd.

Many young children cried.

Many parents searched for them.

But most of them couldn't meet and had to be swept away by the crowd.

People fleeing from death were an unstoppable flow.

"Mana God! What on earth is Mana God doing at a time like this!"

"Ugh... My arm! My arm is broken!!!"

"Where on earth are we supposed to go!?"

Human rights became meaningless in the face of calamity.

People tried to survive even trampling fallen people as they advanced.

Nevertheless, people who lost where they should return to didn't know what to do.

Uncontrollable chaos entered the consciousness of those fallen into panic.

People wandered with disordered consciousness, looking for a place that could give them order and stability.

Above all, they wanted certainty.

"Someone please help!!"

"Save me...! I don't want to die like this!" "Who, who can take down that thing!? Who is it!!" "I don't want to die by monsters. I don't want to be eaten by them!"

"...What happens when we die? Can I go to heaven?" "Who can stop that thing..."

A being who can save them.

A being who can keep them alive.

A being they can rely on.

A being who guarantees their afterlife.

People shouted countless times while fleeing.

People placed in such a state of nothing but despair─

"─God. Please save me."

"If there is a God... please get rid of that monster."

A situation they couldn't do anything about.

They ultimately searched for God.

They clung to a God they never sought when steeped in peace.

But until now they believed God didn't exist in this world, and believed God was dead.

So while praying to God, they questioned who they were praying to, whether they were really praying properly.

They couldn't be certain.

In such a situation─

"─The only God protecting us in this world is Mana God!" "Oh, Mana God! We beseech you to save us from evil monsters and bestow your grace upon us."

"We pray to Mana God, we pray. Please descend upon this land and eradicate that monster." """"...."""

Mana God.

The name of God someone muttered while fleeing was strongly imprinted in people's minds.

"God exists. The traces floating around us are proof of God." "If we believe in Mana God, we will surely receive salvation."

"Believe in Mana God. If you believe in Mana God, even if you die by monsters, you will be guaranteed a happy afterlife."

"Do not fear death! Our Mana God will embrace you warmly and bestow true happiness!"

Believers of Mana Church.

Those who knew Mana Church's doctrines were scattered throughout Jung-gu.

They soothed people's anxiety and treated the injured.

"Let's pray at Mana Church."

"Pray to the Holy Maiden."

""""...."""

After wandering in chaos.

People were drawn to the words of Mana Church believers speaking in clear tones.

After fleeing from Ye-gyeong, they followed Mana Church believers and moved their steps to Myeongdong Cathedral.

""""Believe in Mana God.""""

""""Then you will receive salvation.""""

As if entranced by something.

Consciousness crumbling from terror unconsciously converted to God to prevent the self from collapsing.

☆

People poured in like water.

Because Ye-gyeong appeared in Jung-gu.

...There's no end.

There are too many people.

Mana Church's Riya.

For days she had to welcome, preach to, and treat people seeking Mana Church without even sleeping.

With each passing day, the number of people coming to Mana Church increased.

And this dawn, far more people came.

"My back...! My back hurts, Holy Maiden!"

"Oh my, I'm dying! Some bastard stepped on me earlier... Holy Maiden please treat me!"

"The Holy Maiden is Mana God's apostle, right? You can defeat that thing that appeared in Jung-gu?"

"Everyone please calm down...! Line up and come one by one...!"

"Holy Maiden! We've transported those injured by monsters! Their condition is critical so please treat them!"

Everyone sought her.

Riya was overwhelmed hearing voices calling her from all directions.

For now, saving injured people was the priority.

"Come this way! Quickly lay the injured over here!"

The clinic set up near Myeongdong Cathedral's main entrance was packed with people.

Riya treated people coming before her while sweating profusely.

But─

"─Ugh..." "Cough! Cough!"

"..."

There was no end.

In the time it took to treat one person, ten more came in.

She couldn't handle it alone.

There are too many injured.

For now I have to postpone those with light injuries.

Ye-gyeong's army attacked Jung-gu.

It was a situation where Jung-gu's clans weren't functioning properly.

So injured people were appearing in droves.

Riya bit her lip.

"Agh... aagh!!"

"It's okay... Please bear with it a little."

Dealing with people was exhausting.

The people brought before her were in such critical condition they couldn't endure the pain.

She had to have strong people prevent injured people from causing a disturbance while receiving her treatment.

In such a situation─

"─Holy Maiden! Please give us an answer!"

"Mana God will save us, right?"

"Please tell us quickly! Holy Maiden!" "..."

Riya also had to deal with people desperately wanting certainty.

Naturally, treatment time slowed.

She was human too after all.

No matter how much internal mana she had, she couldn't help but consume mana while treating so many people.

At this rate I'll collapse.

I don't have nearly enough mana to treat all these people.

Riya gritted her teeth.

To make matters worse, monsters were coming to Myeongdong Cathedral.

In a way it was natural.

With so many people gathered here, how could monsters leave this place alone?

Nevertheless, people kept flocking to Myeongdong Cathedral one after another.

"Mana God please save us!" "Holy Maiden! Say something!" "Holy Maiden, please save me!" "Holy Maiden, my child is very sick. Please look at this child first!"

"Holy Maiden, I brushed past a monster on the way, am I poisoned? Please check! I'm so anxious..." "Holy Maiden!"

"Holy Maiden!"

Holy Maiden. Mana God. Save me, keep me alive. Me first. Do me too. Say something. If we die. We. Where. Happy. Holy Maiden...

Please stop...!!

At the voices of people shouting.

Riya's head ached.

As a believer in Mana God, she shouldn't get angry at them.

She shouldn't hate them.

But at this moment, Riya endlessly hated the people constantly relying on her.

""""Holy Maiden!!!""""

Please, stop, stop.

Riya shed tears.

She hated them so much.

Why, how─

─Why are they all saying things to me?

Why do they try to rely on her for everything?

How can they make her so exhausted?

I don't know! I don't know either!

But why are you doing this to me!?

She was the same as them too.

She too believed in Mana God and wished for the monsters to be eliminated.

But Mana God's voice wasn't heard.

She was just helping injured people and preaching doctrine according to Mana God's teachings.

Please God.

If you truly hear their voices, please speak.

Riya prayed earnestly.

Where she was was hell.

And an even worse hell would come now.

It would drive her and everyone here into death and despair.

But Mana God's voice wasn't heard at all and─

─Whiiiiiieeeeeeeaaaaaaoooooo

Level 3 overrank Ye-gyeong.

It appeared in the sky over the cathedral.

""""...."""

Everyone froze.

She too froze looking up at the night sky, faced with Ye-gyeong's presence.

An immeasurable presence.

Suffocating pressure.

Whiiiieeeeeaaaaaoooooo!!

It roared as if cheering.

Only then did people scream.

""""Save us!!"""""Holy Maiden!!""""

""""Oh, Mana God!!""""

Utter chaos.

People fled.

In the narrow space, scenes of them knocking down or trampling each other as they tried to flee occurred.

Or they knelt and approached her closely.

""""Holy Maiden!! Please save us!!""""

"..."

They grabbed her clothes.

They put their hands on her body.

She was shaken back and forth, grabbed by them.

Ah...

It's over now.

I will die here.

These people will die here too.

Riya's will lost its light.

Nevertheless─

""""─Please save us!!!""""

""""Please help us!!""""

""""Please heal us!!""""

The sound of people's wishes for her pierced her consciousness.

It was a terribly heard sound.

A sound she didn't want to hear anymore.

So, alright, fine.

─Mana God.

Please save these people.

I'll do as you wish.

I'll save you as you wish.

Riya wished as if resigning herself.

She yearned as if giving up.

Thus her prayer soon─

─Do you need power?

Made her receive Mana God.

Mana God asked.

If she needed power.

"Ah..."

A white world.

She was sitting alone there.

She whose hair was disheveled and clothes torn from being grabbed by people in various ways cried.

"I... need power..."

Tears flowed down.

She cried loudly.

While doing so, she prayed several times.

That she wanted power to heal everyone as people had instilled in her.

Won't you regret it?

Mana God asked.

She nodded repeatedly.

"Yes..."

She answered as if giving up.

Then regret welled up.

If only she hadn't heard Mana God's voice, she wouldn't have lived suffering like this.

But she had come too far.

It can't be undone.

She had to fulfill her responsibility as the .

So─

"─I don't care what happens to me, please save all the suffering people..."

Please heal everyone.

I will take their pain.

If that's not enough, my soul will suffer endlessly.

Riya prayed.

─Very well.

I will grant your wish.

Finally Mana God accepted.

The white world shone brightly.

Riya stared blankly at the brightly shining world.

It's a good... thing.

She smiled faintly.

She was about to close her eyes like that.

It was then.

─Crack

Suddenly such a sound was heard.

At first she thought she had misheard.

Crack crack

But she hadn't misheard.

The sound of something breaking.

Riya who heard the sound opened her eyes.

"Ah..."

The white world.

It was breaking into pieces like a glass window shattering.

She watched the crumbling world, facing the reality visible beyond the broken world.

"─I told you not to overdo it."

"Ah..." "Why are you trying to shoulder everything?"

Noh Eun-ha.

He was standing there.

☆

Central Gangbuk, Namsan Seoul Tower in Yongsan-gu.

On top of the not yet completed tower stood an old man holding a staff.

"Hooh..."

The old man chuckled.

Suddenly, a pillar of light was rising from where the old man was looking.

Ye-gyeong, touched by that light, was startled and hurriedly distanced itself.

Other monsters touched by the pillar of light were annihilated on the spot.

"─It seems to have activated now."

Gift .

The old man knew what the pillar of light was.

Well, he had been waiting for this moment.

"Yes, it finally activated. The foolish masses will witness this and make all sorts of delusions calling it Mana God's ."

The old man took a deep breath.

The atmosphere thick with mana.

For the old man, it could be said to be air that helped make his imperfect body complete.

To be precise, not air but─

"─Believe, then it will come true. Despair, and at the end cling to God, strengthen your faith."

Despair is a very strong emotion.

Therefore, mana originating from despair contains strong power.

But hope, which lies at the opposite end of despair, cannot be ignored either.

Even a small light shines very brightly in darkness.

"Like that, I will become the Mana God you desire."

Despair breaks down human belief, and hope strengthens their belief.

So use despair to break humans and draw out negative emotions.

And make them have hope, to rely on Mana God without room for doubt.

It's faith.

A very firm belief.

"Good. Power is filling up. Everyone is praying to me."

The world is an interaction between parties.

Their firm belief becomes magic and unknowingly interferes with providence.

Mana God really exists.

That is proof of it.

Their belief witnessing 'Mana God's miracle' will act on the world and truly materialize God.

And such a mechanism─

"─Yes, come to me quickly."

The being at the pinnacle of magic studies.

Will flow to myself who is trying to become Mana God.

The old man was immersed in ecstasy feeling the faith fulfilling his existence.

The pillar of light soaring from the ground as if piercing the sky was so beautiful.

But─

"─...!!"

Soon the old man was astonished.

The pillar of light gradually lost power.

The beam of light that was about to brightly illuminate the night sky suddenly went out.

"Why..."

What on earth happened?

The old man couldn't accept reality.