Chapter 177
There are countless gods with various names across the world, but as far as Suho knew, none had ever been called by that name.
Except for one.
“Itarim.”
[It seems the Apostles of Itarim have officially begun their operations on Earth.]
With narrowed eyes, Beru glared at the screen Laura was showing.
“According to our investigation, Christopher Reed’s mansion had been used as a sanctuary by the Church of the Outer Gods.”
“A sanctuary? Don’t tell me there was another Apostle of Itarim there?”
“We believe that wasn’t the case. The Apostle of Itarim that our boss faced was the only one, having taken over Christopher Reed’s body. The rest appeared to be mere followers.”
Suho suddenly noticed something odd in Laura’s explanation.
“‘Appeared to be’? So it’s not confirmed?”
“Correct. All the others were killed during the battle between our boss and Christopher Reed, so we couldn’t confirm anything. But what’s strange is, every time Christopher Reed killed one of the presumed followers, his power grew stronger.”
“……Sounds similar to the situation with the Bloodthirsty Demon.”
Esil, who had been silently listening with her arms crossed, narrowed her eyes.
“Sounds like somewhere, our demons are being nicely raised like livestock. In more ways than one.”
Esil Radir, the sole demon noble.
She clenched her teeth in frustration.
The ones creating the Stardust were demons themselves—but ironically, the most essential ingredient in Stardust was also demon blood.
In other words, this Church of the Outer Gods was thoroughly exploiting demons for their own purposes.
And that purpose was clearly…
‘They’re probably looking for vessels capable of accepting Itarim’s power, to turn them into their puppets.’
And the most suitable candidates would be those who were once National-Level Hunters in their past lives.
Suho turned to Esil and Im Do-Gyun.
“Esil, have your subordinate demons said anything about the Bloodthirsty Demon?”
“Not much. They didn’t even realize he was an Apostle of Itarim. But just in case, I’ll go check again.”
“Yeah. Please do. And Do-Gyun hyung.”
“Mm?”
“Can you start looking into dungeons filled with demon-type monsters for our guild to clear? Let’s start by thoroughly sweeping our country. We might dig something up.”
“Got it.”
Suho decided it was time to eliminate every demon factory in Korea.
Doing so might reveal an Apostle of Itarim—or even members of the Church of the Outer Gods.
“Laura, any other information on the Church?”
“No. We’re still investigating, but it appears to be an extremely secretive organization that’s impossible to trace. If they were just a regular cult, we’d at least have members to follow.”
“Then let’s try reversing the approach.”
“Reversing it?”
Suho recalled the conversation Christopher Reed had with his counselor.
If his words were true, then ‘they’ had approached him first.
That meant it was highly likely they were approaching others first, too.
They might already be lurking nearby, watching for opportunities.
“……So if we hang around those Hunters and monitor them closely, we might catch something.”
“That’s a sound plan, but the issue is that our Scavenger Guild currently can’t interfere with other countries so freely.”
As Thomas Andre had personally told Suho, Scavenger needed to keep a low profile for the time being.
But Suho wasn’t about to sit on his hands.
“I have another way.”
“Don’t tell me you’re going yourself?”
“Nope. I’ve got someone I can send.”
Suho grinned slyly.
* * *
“Suho! Thanks for inviting me! Here’s a housewarming gift!”
“……You got here fast.”
“I ran at full speed! Because Suho is my friend!”
Ryo Singh, a B-rank Hunter from the Asura Guild.
As soon as he got Suho’s call, he dashed over to the Woojin Guild’s office—carrying a mountain of gifts in both hands.
After cheerfully greeting Laura, Ryo Singh began talking about what he’d been up to lately.
“These days, I’m in charge of a business importing weapons from Korea’s Blacksmiths to supply our guild!”
Though he had been demoted to Korea and failed to recruit Suho, Ryo Singh hadn’t given up and managed to carve out a new opportunity for himself.
“Korean weapons are incredible quality! I heard the Korean Hunter Association is backing them—really impressive!”
His Korean had gotten even better.
“But anyway, what did you call me here for?”
Knowing Suho’s personality, Ryo Singh figured there had to be a reason behind the summons.
Especially with Laura from the Scavenger Guild present, his business instincts quickly picked up on the situation.
“Is this about the Echoing Forest spring water—the Detoxification Potion?”
“Pretty much spot-on.”
“Ryo Singh, we would like to sell the Detoxification Potion to the Asura Guild.”
Laura stepped forward and presented him with a contract, formally offering the business proposal.
After skimming through it, Ryo Singh beamed and nodded.
“This is a fantastic offer. I’d absolutely love to. But… what’s this clause? The guild master must personally sample it?”
“Yes. It’s a ceremonial part of our marketing strategy. Since our Detoxification Potion is not well-known yet, having someone as prominent as the Asura Guild Master drink it publicly would create a significant promotional effect.”
“That makes sense.”
With sparkling eyes, Ryo Singh nodded at Laura’s explanation.
Having already visited the Glacial Dungeon, he was well aware of the spring water’s effects from the Echoing Forest.
“This is a huge business opportunity! I might actually get promoted this time!”
“……You’re not even hiding your true intentions anymore.”
“Hahaha.”
With a hearty laugh, Ryo Singh contacted the Asura Guild Master—and succeeded in getting confirmation for the request.
Right after, Ryo Singh signed all the contracts that Suho and Laura had presented.
“This is such an important deal, I’ll have to visit the guild myself.”
“Ryo Singh, while you’re at it, I have one favor to ask.”
“A favor? You’re entrusting me with such a big deal—of course I’ll do anything you ask, Suho.”
Grinning happily, Ryo Singh was met with a serious look from Suho.
“Be careful of your guild master.”
“Our guild master? Why?”
Hearing something strange, Ryo Singh looked confused.
Suho’s eyes were far too grave to dismiss this as nonsense.
Suho recalled the information he’d heard from Beru.
There were five individuals who had been National-Level Hunters in their past lives.
Excluding one healer, the names of the four who had wielded the power of [Ruler’s Authority] were:
1. Thomas Andre of the United States
2. Christopher Reed of the United States
3. Liu Zhikang of China
4. Siddharth Bachchan of India
The first two had already been dealt with. That left the remaining two to be confirmed.
And the one Suho was focusing on first was none other than the fourth.
Siddharth Bachchan of India.
He was, in fact, the guild master of the Asura Guild.
“A mysterious organization called the Church of the Outer Gods may have approached your guild master, Siddharth Bachchan.”
“Church of the Outer Gods? What’s that?”
“Remember what happened with Thomas Andre in the Glacial Dungeon?”
“……!”
Having experienced that situation together, no further explanation was needed.
Recalling the rampaging Thomas Andre who had transformed into a massive Ice Dragon, Ryo Singh made a grim expression.
“Are you saying our guild master might end up the same way?”
“Nothing’s certain yet. That’s why, once you return to the guild, can you keep an eye on him?”
“Of course. I may look like this, but I have a lot of respect for our guild master.”
Making such a bold declaration, Ryo Singh gathered up a bundle of Detoxification Potions to deliver to Siddharth Bachchan.
In that moment, Suho’s eyes flicked toward his own shadow.
‘Kira, follow him.’
Srrrk.
Suho’s shadow stretched out, and the shadow assassin Kira slipped silently into Ryo Singh’s shadow.
Suho’s eyes gleamed.
This was his chance to use the new skill he obtained from completing the quest given by his father.
* * *
[What? You found a Dragon’s egg?!]
When Suho entered the Shadow Dungeon holding Kamish’s Egg, the one who reacted the strongest was none other than Queen Bee Arsha.
“Yeah. My mom found it in the Tomb of the Radiant Dragons and sent it to me.”
[Goodness. That’s… that’s real?]
Arsha stared at the egg in Suho’s hands with a dizzying sense of unease.
It was small for a dragon egg, but the subtle draconic aura radiating from it was undeniably genuine.
That aura continued to provoke Arsha’s survival instincts.
With an uneasy expression, Arsha asked, staring at Kamish’s Egg.
[Why would you bring something this dangerous here?]
“Because it’s dangerous, of course. This place is safe, isn’t it?”
Suho shrugged.
“Just like my mom said, it’s better to keep it here than leave it in the Tomb or on Earth. Besides, if something does happen here, worst case scenario…”
[Krk?]
As he spoke, Suho’s gaze shifted to the side.
There, the massive crocodile beast Ammit flashed a savage smile, baring its teeth.
[Worst case, I eat it, right?]
“Yeah. This is definitely the right place.”
Suho felt reassured and nodded with satisfaction.
“But don’t really eat it. That egg might be the last remaining descendant of the dragon race.”
Beru nodded in agreement at Suho’s words.
[That is highly likely, my liege. The Dragon Emperor took every dragon under his command into battle during the war.]
Beru furrowed his brow, recalling that brutal war.
‘Dragon Emperor’
The King of the Radiant Dragons and Monarch of Destruction—Antares—was the only Monarch who had overwhelmed the Shadow Monarch Sung Jinwoo.
He was the undisputed strongest of the dragons, and the Radiant Dragons under his command were an invincible army, each individual wielding immense power and magic.
The Dragon Emperor was a true avatar of destruction who wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice even himself for a war fueled by blood, screams, madness, and ruin.
That’s why Sung Jinwoo relentlessly drove the Dragon Emperor’s army into a corner.
And yet, looking back now, the more Suho remembered, the more he was in awe of the Dragon Emperor’s power.
At the time, Sung Jinwoo’s Shadow Army had absorbed the troops of all the other Monarchs.
Even so, the Dragon Emperor had fiercely clashed with him to the very end.
Of course, Sung Jinwoo ultimately claimed victory—but as a single race, the Dragon Emperor’s army was undoubtedly the strongest.
[For the descendant of such a being to be reborn… it’s a rather unsettling thought.]
“If I raise it as a pet from infancy, it should be fine.”
Sniff sniff sniff sniff sniff.
Saying that, Suho glanced at the gray wolf who had been stuck by his side this whole time.
The Fang Wolf, Gray—Suho’s pet, tamed through the Pet System.
Unlike Arsha, Gray was pressing his nose against Kamish’s Egg with wide, sparkling eyes, sniffing it curiously.
Lick, lick, lick!
He even gave it a few licks with his tongue.
Meanwhile, his tail wagged furiously, as if he’d found the most entertaining toy.
It didn’t seem like he actually wanted to eat it—he just looked delighted to have found something new to play with.
[W-Well, just in case, I’ll have my worker bees build a nest for it here.]
Arsha began directing her worker bees to construct a nest for Kamish’s Egg in a corner of Ammit’s pyramid.
Waaaeeeeeeng—
It was called a nest, but in reality, it was more like a prison to contain the monster that would eventually hatch from it.
