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Chapter 286

'Skill: Mirage'

A terrifying illusion magic that extracted and showed the most terrifying or intense moment from the target's memory. Just as Javier once did, Harmakan also created this powerful barrier and trapped all the villains in the city within the white blizzard.

Of course, this illusion magic was different from Javier's because it was cast by Harmakan. Even with the same spell, the result differed depending on the caster's preference. In short, Harmakan's preference were 'evil spirits.' Therefore, this recreation of Mirage had a stronger effect on evil souls, and all the villains living in the city faced all the evil deeds they had committed. Especially murder. They now received all the resentment of the countless victims they mercilessly killed. And it goes without saying that…

The Reaper Hasul was among them.

"Ah…"

Hasul suddenly came to her senses and realized she was wearing her school uniform. She looked around in surprise, and the surroundings were still winter. But instead of a harsh blizzard, snowflakes were gently falling. And before her…

Flare—

…Was an orphanage engulfed in flames.

"…Ah."

Like the other villains, Hasul's reaction to facing her nightmare was rather calm. She couldn't help it. Recalling this moment was an everyday occurrence. How could she forget?

"…This dream again." Winter of her first year of high school. Hasul awakened. And…

She killed the orphanage director. That woman who always forced the children to smile in front of sponsors… A two-faced person who turned into a demon behind their backs. The old woman who put on an angelic smile in front of the public and then turned around and hysterically abused the children after they left. Even in retrospect, she deserved to die.

[This nightmare seems familiar.] Suddenly, a voice chuckled in Hasul's ear.

[A sob story from a villain.]

Hasul replied as if entranced by that voice, "…I'm not trying to tell a sob story. I'm just an ordinary bad bitch. I killed someone and ran away. That's all."

Ah, and she set the orphanage on fire. Because the same thing would happen again if a new director came. But she had no regrets. Even if she went back to that day, she would do the same thing. However, there was one thing. One regret…

– Choi Hasul! – She instinctively flinched at the sharp voice calling her name. The 'director' was walking towards her. Opening the door of the burning orphanage.

– You should have smiled more in front of the sponsors! – Shouting at her with the usual vicious look in her eyes.

"…"

But Hasul didn't back down from that nightmare. She was used to this. This nightmare has repeated every night since that day. For some reason, it was much more vivid than usual today, but it was no different. 

Was that why? Perhaps because it was a more vivid nightmare than usual, Hasul asked the director with a little more courage, "…Are you alive?"

She finally asked. Hasul had always been curious. Whether the woman really died 'that day.' Or if she was rescued later and managed to cling to her life.

"I didn't check and just came here…"

That's right. The origin of this nightmare was Hasul's one remaining regret. What if that director was still alive? That possibility was a truly terrifying horror for her.

"I should have checked…" Regret always came late.

Not many people could kill someone as soon as they awakened to superpowers. Hasul was one of them. So instead of killing the director directly, she chose to burn the orphanage. After evacuating her younger siblings, she set fire to the director's office. She didn't have the courage to kill her directly. She didn't even have the courage to go back and confirm the director's death.

Because she was scared. No matter how much she awakened to her powers, the moment she faced the director, she would surely freeze like a deer in headlights. And whenever she felt this way, Hasul had a phrase she compulsively muttered. Words she said to comfort her younger siblings who came to her every night in tears, and to herself. To her it wasn't comforting or anything.

"It's okay. It's not our fault. We were just… unlucky. There must be many ordinary and normal orphanages out there."

Yes. Looking back, it was all a matter of luck. That her mother, whose face she couldn't even remember, abandoned her at such a terrible orphanage was because of bad luck. And the gangsters who ran that orphanage were also just unlucky.

"It was just their bad luck that someone like me suddenly awakened as an S-rank in the orphanage they were running…"

[So you killed them all?] Someone whispered.

Hasul answered, "Yes, I killed them all. I even went to the gangsters' buildings and killed and burned them all. For my younger siblings who were left behind."

Whoosh—

The nightmare of the burning orphanage passed before Hasul's eyes. Actually, the real hell for Hasul started after that. After killing everyone involved,

"…I crossed the 38th parallel without hesitation." Towards North Korea, which had become a true hell. But Hasul wasn't afraid.

"It seemed easier to live in North Korea, which was already completely ruined, than to live in that damn South Korea. And it actually was."

Since she had burned away all her fears, there was nothing left to be scared of. The world she saw from inside the orphanage was extremely cold. A world where she could never live an ordinary life with ordinary effort. A world where the story of a phoenix rising from ashes was unimaginable. She had gained an 'ability' that could help her escape from that world, so there was no reason not to leave.

Natural disasters?

Weather anomalies?

Strange magical beasts and aliens?

She had already learned what true fear was at too young an age to be afraid of such things. "Humans. There's nothing more terrifying than humans."

The strongest villain living in the city of villains smirked as she finished speaking. There was one thing she regretted. That it all happened before the Association was established, so she didn't know that the power she awakened to was S-rank. She only learned that an S-rank Hunter could enjoy immense wealth and honor from the villains who came to North Korea later. But she only regretted, not resented it. Wealth and honor, she could enjoy them anywhere as long as she had power.

"…This place is the same."

[Then shouldn't you protect it? Your paradise?] A voice whispered to Hasul like a devil.

Whoosh—

A giant scythe made of a starpiece was once again held in her hand. The scythe of harvest that was taken away by the black ant magical beast was back. And the moment she held that weapon, a hot energy suddenly boiled within Hasul's body.

"This power…" Hasul instinctively realized the source of this power. The fruits of Alfheim that she had eaten so far. Excluding the bankers, she was probably the villain who ate the most fruits in this city.

[We'll lend you our strength. Protect this city with your own hands.]

…Flare—!

In an instant, a red aura enveloped Hasul's entire body, And she instinctively swung the scythe of harvest forward, cutting through the air. That power drew a half-moon and pierced a hole in the transparent wall of the 'Instance Dungeon' that covered the city.

[Well done.] The voice laughed.

Whoosh—!

At that moment, the blizzard that was trapped inside the city began to be sucked out through that hole. It was truly a tremendous force. And what was revealed were the red leaves buried under the pure white snowfield.

Whoosh—!

As Hasul swung her scythe again, the red and yellow autumn leaves fluttered beautifully in the air along its trajectory. Since those leaves fundamentally had a perception-impairing effect, Hasul's presence disappeared from the world at that moment.

SWOOSH—!

Concealing her presence to the point where no one could notice, she jumped high into the sky, stepping on the red leaves like stairs. And there was a being waiting for her at the end of that.

[Yes, very well done. You're a good child.]

The Apostle of Paradise. 

He was waiting for Hasul outside the Instance Dungeon. With a bright smile. 

[I hereby appoint you as the High Priest. From this moment on, you are the High Priest of the glorious Cult of the Outer Gods!]

Flash—!

At that moment, power concentrated is the scythe that Hasul held, And the Apostle of Paradise, as if manipulating a puppet, gave her an order,

[Heh. Can you feel it? The difference in strength? I will give you all the power that has borne fruit in this city…!]

Whoosh—!

Hasul raised the scythe of harvest with her usual expressionless face at those words. A tremendous power began to concentrate on the blade. The Apostle of Paradise smiled with satisfaction at that dependable figure and pointed to the center of the city with his finger, strongly commanding,

[Now, go! Towards the enemies who dared to destroy your city, my flowerpot…! Wh-what are you doing?!]

Whoosh—!

The Apostle of Paradise couldn't help but panic. Surprisingly, Hasul's scythe suddenly attacked him. And using the very power he gave her! The Apostle of Paradise barely dodged the attack and shouted,

[What the….?! What are you doing?!]

For the High Priest to dare attack the apostle! The Apostle of Paradise couldn't help but be shocked at the absurd event. It was then.

[You asked what I'm doing?]

[…?!]

Covered in goosebumps. The Apostle of Paradise hurriedly turned his gaze to the sudden voice. Hasul's 'shadow,' which was relentlessly attacking was abnormally elongated and grinning at him. At that moment…

[W-wait! Don't tell me you're…?!] 

The Apostle of Paradise's eyes widened. An ominous yet familiar energy! The Apostle of Paradise instinctively recognized the identity of this sensation.

[C-Corps Commander, Mm-marshal Be…]

[Oh, do you know me?] Hasul's 'shadow' raised his eyes with joy at those words. And he continued with a grin,

[But sadly I don't know you at all. Well… each and every one of those who ever faced me are already dead.] 

Those words could mean only one thing. Beru, slowly rising from Hasul's shadow, declared to the Apostle of Paradise,

[You… are a small fry. One who only watched me from afar.]

[Kuhk…! High Priest! Protect me!] The Apostle of Paradise gritted his teeth and tried to control Hasul. But…

"It's useless."

Shiver—!

[…!]

Suho, who had approached from behind, raised his fist and continued,

"Just in case, I applied the Spring Water of the Echo Forest to all the bread in Beru Baguette."

Crash—!

With that one blow, the Apostle of Paradise crashed to the ground.

Edited by fotnmc

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