Chapter 464
The next day.
The people resumed their journey.
Their goal was to escape the reach of the immortals and build a village of their own. The group’s leader spoke.
“If what you say is true, Mr. Taesan, then the remote regions might still be untouched by them. We’ll head somewhere like that.”
“I-I know a place. It’s so remote no one ever goes there. They probably haven’t gotten to it yet.”
People began suggesting jungles and rough terrain they knew. After discussing and selecting a location, they moved toward their destination.
Taesan naturally joined them.
[You’re just going to follow along like this?]
“No.”
To Bardray’s quiet question, Taesan shook his head. He didn’t need to make a move. Sooner or later, the other side would come to him.
Neigh—!
A horse’s cry echoed from afar. The sound grew louder and closer.
The people’s expressions changed drastically. The leader shouted with a pale face.
“Everyone! Run into the forest!”
People scrambled toward the nearby woods. But their pursuers were faster.
“You wretches!”
A shout rang out.
“Filthy unbelievers! Where do you think you’re running?”
“Kyaaah!”
The knights surrounded the group in an instant. People collapsed, screaming.
“A-ah…”
The leader’s face turned ghostly white.
Taesan quietly observed the scene.
Neigh—
Dozens of horsemen, clad in blue armor, had appeared.
Among them, one man in particularly ornate armor stepped forward.
“I am Kantara, faithful commander of the holy knights who serve the great Lord Paragup!”
Despair spread across the faces of the people at his declaration.
“The commander…”
The immortals never personally captured unbelievers.
They used their subordinates to track down and drag off those who didn’t believe.
When discovered, people had no choice but to flee or fight for their lives. Since not all subordinates were powerful, they’d narrowly escaped death a few times before.
But the commander of the knights was different. There was no escape from someone like him.
He was a superhuman blessed with divine power directly from the immortal. He could slaughter them all on his own.
Eventually, the people gave up trying to flee and huddled together in fear.
Kantara smiled with satisfaction as he looked over the group.
“So many. Lord Paragup will be pleased!”
He raised his large spear and slammed it down.
Boom!
“Part of me wants to kill every one of you for fleeing from faith!”
He spoke as though he were offering a rare kindness.
“But the great Lord Paragup, in His mercy, will spare even filth like you! Come with us to our holy land! We’ll show you His glory!”
There was no reply.
Everyone knew those taken away either returned as something twisted—or never returned at all.
People instinctively tried to step back from Kantara. But knights guarding the rear pulled their reins and threatened them.
Kantara clicked his tongue.
“I don’t understand. What could be more joyous than believing in a god? Fine, then—I’ll drag you all by force.”
Sching.
With a twisted smile, Kantara drew his sword.
“Bring them forward!”
“Kyaaah!”
“Help!”
The knights grabbed several people by the hair and threw them before Kantara.
“There are too many of you for us to take all at once.”
There were only dozens of knights, while the group numbered in the thousands. No matter how tightly they guarded them, some would escape.
Kantara grinned cruelly and raised his sword.
“So I’ll make an example of you, to show the rest what happens if they flee. The torture begins now.”
“AAAGH!”
“Nooo!”
People screamed and struggled. Kantara seemed to enjoy it immensely.
He delighted in their pain and suffering.
He wanted to hear their screams as he tortured them. The pretext of an example was a convenient excuse—it was really just his hobby.
Smirking, he moved his sword. Terror filled the eyes of the crowd.
The blade crept closer to flesh.
He imagined the screams that would follow, relishing the moment.
Grab.
Someone seized his arm.
Kantara’s face twisted.
A black-haired man from the unbeliever group was holding his arm with a blank expression.
“Do you dare—”
Kantara’s face contorted.
“You want to be a hero? Fine. I’ll make you one myself.”
Annoyed, Kantara swung his sword. His speed and power were beyond comprehension.
Clang!
“Ghhk!”
But the blade bounced off Taesan’s neck.
Kantara’s grip tore apart from the impact. Staggering back in shock, he shouted:
“W-What the hell?!”
Taesan simply stared at him.
A sensation as though everything about him had been exposed sent chills down Kantara’s spine.
“I can feel divinity.”
“What?”
“Not complete, though. The battle’s been going on for centuries, right? Seems like you’re partially crossing into the next realm. But you’ve still got a long way to go.”
“…What nonsense!”
Clutching his broken hand, Kantara roared:
“Kill that unbeliever! Everyone, attack!”
“Y-Yes!”
The knights answered, but none charged. They hesitated. Even they could sense something was off about Taesan.
“Let’s keep this simple.”
His goal was stability.
The immortals wanted to become gods through belief.
Then he would shatter that belief.
Taesan unleashed all the essence he had sealed away. His overwhelming presence began to engrave itself upon the world.
“Ah?”
“Wha…”
People who couldn’t keep up with the situation stared with open mouths.
They had lived their lives sensing the clash of immortal forces daily. So they understood that power well.
The power of the immortals was immense and overwhelming, but it didn’t evoke awe or worship. It felt more like watching a colossal beast.
But what Taesan now displayed was different.
Just looking at him filled them with reverence. Their bodies and souls naturally submitted.
They were witnessing a true god for the first time.
As Taesan revealed himself, the constant rumble of the immortals’ battle ceased.
The gaze of the two great beings turned toward Taesan.
What they felt was shock.
“I am a god.”
His calm voice rang out. It was a proud, arrogant declaration. Kantara wanted to deny those words.
But he couldn’t open his mouth.
The divinity Taesan exuded. The overwhelming presence that enveloped them all.
They realized Taesan was a god in the truest sense.
Taesan spoke slowly and stepped forward.
A warm breeze gently embraced the people.
Nature moved according to Taesan’s will.
Kantara couldn’t resist as Taesan placed a hand on his forehead.
Taesan looked into Kantara’s soul and will.
He was a vile being. Even without Paragup, he would have murdered countless people.
“You will be punished.”
With those words, Kantara’s body collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
The knights didn’t even breathe as they watched.
Even if Taesan approached and plunged a sword into their chests, they would do nothing.
“You worship the wrong one. You deserve punishment… but I’ll grant you mercy.”
“T-Thank you…”
A knight stammered and knelt. His faith in Paragup shattered. And in its place, Taesan filled the void.
“I have come to punish those who dare call themselves gods. Go. Spread the word. A true god has come to restore this world.”
“Y-Yes!”
The knights fled in a panic.
Taesan watched them briefly before turning back.
The people stared blankly at him. The leader, Jeratine—everyone.
Taesan said to them,
“Follow me.”
He moved forward.
“Follow me, and watch as this world is set right.”
The people nodded as if entranced.
Taesan moved forward.
Revealing his full presence, he led the way.
Those following behind him stared at him in a daze as they walked.
[You changed your tone on purpose, didn’t you?]
Taesan nodded. Bardray asked curiously,
[I mean, you’re a god now, so talking like one fits… but that’s not your personality. What are you aiming for?]
“There is a reason. They need to truly believe I’m a god. Speaking accordingly helps.”
[You planning to gather faith from everyone here like you did on Earth?]
“Not that far. But it reminded me of what Balbamaba said.”
Balbamaba had explained that there were many ways to become a god. One was to be engraved into people’s minds as a god—etched into the world.
Taesan was the God of Earth. But because he had reached that state through the extreme method of universal faith, his stability was lacking.
So he planned to stabilize it further by imprinting himself as a god in the minds of the people of Mariseion.
“And… I want to destroy them.”
Soon, Taesan arrived at a massive city.
“What city is this?”
“A-A trade city.”
The leader replied cautiously, extremely polite.
“It was once the largest trade city on the continent. Countless artisans and merchants gathered here. But now…”
“Intruders!”
“Unbelievers are here!”
The city stirred in chaos. Soon, people wielding hammers and axes burst through the gates.
“Seize them!”
“Make them worship Lord Keboruak!”
“…That’s what this place has become. It’s considered holy ground for Keboruak.”
“Holy ground?”
Taesan sneered.
“This garbage?”
Fanatics rushed toward him, but stopped the moment they saw him.
“H-Huh?”
“U-uh…”
[You have activated [Restricted Blink].]
Taesan leapt through space and grabbed the frontmost attacker.
He couldn’t move—his body trembled with awe and fear.
Taesan examined him. He quickly noticed something unnatural within their minds.
‘Brainwashing.’
It wouldn’t be easy to receive genuine faith from these people.
So the immortals had brainwashed them to force belief.
Which meant the solution was simple.
Bzzzzzzt—
Golden light burst from Taesan.
The rapidly expanding golden aura enveloped the entire city.
Crackkk!
The shabby divine power spread by Keboruak shattered.
Taesan released his power fully. The divine aura spread throughout the city.
“Ooh!”
“Ahhh!”
The power of Keboruak that had been embedded in their minds crumbled.
“My head…”
“Where am I?”
People groaned and came to their senses. The madness from before had vanished. The leader’s eyes widened.
“This is…?”
“Those unworthy dared to spread filth in a bid for godhood.”
Taesan entered the city.
One by one, the awakened people looked at him.
Taesan said to them,
“Follow me, you who have been oppressed and tormented.”
The sky trembled at that moment. A massive power began to gather above.
Everyone could feel the anger within it.
It was Keboruak’s power.
Pale-faced, the people screamed in fear.
“D-Divine punishment!”
Condensed wind surged from the sky, crashing down upon the city like a heavenly strike.
It was the moment they accepted death.
Taesan summoned his divinity. A golden force shot skyward, striking the wind.
The divine power instantly repelled the attack, piercing a hole through the heavens. The golden light spread across the sky, brilliantly illuminating the world.
“I’ll be coming soon. Just wait a little longer.”
Taesan murmured toward the dispersing power of Keboruak.
“Ahh…”
“Aah…”
The people stared at Taesan as if entranced. He stepped forward.
“I will show you how this world will be set right.”