Chapter 439
Since the appearance of the Tower of Trials, the world had changed.
The existing laws and customs could no longer represent the new world.
The power of awakened players grew day by day, while the authority of governments to control them diminished.
…And this was the result.
The Vatican, having learned of this new world, sought radical transformation.
Leveraging its sturdy societal foundation and vast capital, it began to grow at an astonishing rate.
Cultists were mercilessly interrogated, and through its communication with Eden, the Vatican produced a significant number of holy knights.
Thus, it evolved into a powerful force that even the major guilds found difficult to ignore in a short amount of time.
Especially notable were the players known as “Inquisitors,” who were all ranked individuals chosen as apostles of Eden.
“Teresa.”
The insignia symbolizing the new Vatican stood out clearly.
“There’s a direct order from the Cardinal to summon you to the Vatican immediately.”
Regarding the incident on the 29th floor…
…A hearing had been scheduled to address the sacrifices that were made.
“It would be wise to comply peacefully.”
“Unless you intend to cause a scene.”
There were three of them.
The faintly rising divine power seemed to be a show of force.
The murmuring guests were quickly driven out.
The attendants from the Vatican had completely isolated the café.
“I-I…”
Teresa stammered, looking troubled.
Ignoring the summons recklessly wasn’t an option, especially with her connection to the Rosenberg family. Not only would it bring disgrace to her family, but more importantly, Teresa herself was officially affiliated with the European region.
However, following them quietly wouldn’t end well either.
Inside the Vatican, which enjoyed extraterritorial rights, no one could guarantee what might happen.
Thud!
The scabbard of a sword struck against the Inquisitor’s chest.
“Who gave you permission to take her away?”
Chun Yoosung exuded a chilling energy.
“So you’re the famous player, Chun Yoosung. I’ve heard… you have quite the temper.”
“If you know, then get lost. Before I cut you all down.”
“Hmph. So, you intend to interfere in Vatican affairs as an outsider?”
“Outsider? Teresa is one of our members.”
“Equating a sacred mission to a mere guild… How typical of sinners. People like you are always so consistent in your audacity. It doesn’t even surprise me anymore.”
The Inquisitor spoke as if he had anticipated this.
The other two added their own remarks.
“Interfering could escalate to a national-level issue. No large guild could hope to take on an entire country.”
“And surely, you’re aware of how dangerous it is to provoke Eden. Particularly since Teresa will face significant difficulties on the 30th floor.”
The players backed by Eden’s full support—
Inquisitors, chosen as apostles, wielded sacred relics bestowed by individual angels.
These relics compensated for the disadvantages of starting late.
This was why Inquisitors were so fearsome.
But such intimidation meant nothing to Veteran Corporation.
“So you’ve got those winged creatures backing you. And? Am I supposed to be scared?”
Shing!
Chun Yoosung drew his sword.
“You’ve pushed it far enough.”
“If that’s what you want, we’ll oblige.”
The other side unsheathed their weapons as well.
In an instant, the atmosphere turned icy.
The laughter and lighthearted chatter were long gone, replaced by the suffocating tension of high-ranking players locked in a standoff.
Just then—
“Cut the nonsense and sit down. Stop swinging your swords around like fools.”
Jinhyuk smiled brightly.
“….”
Chun Yoosung flinched and sheathed his sword.
He even sat down obediently, understanding better than anyone what that smile meant.
On the other hand, the Inquisitors didn’t heed Jinhyuk’s warning.
“What’s the point of talking now…?”
“We don’t need any of this. Just hand over Teresa.”
…So they wouldn’t listen unless things got ugly.
“Sigh…”
The smile disappeared from Jinhyuk’s face.
Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of mana pressed down on the area around the table.
“I told you to sit down.”
Rumble!
“Ugh…!”
“Urgh…”
The pressure was unimaginable.
It felt like facing a manifested angel for the first time.
However, the Vatican’s hunting dogs wouldn’t back down, even in the face of death.
“This… is nothing!”
“We are apostles chosen by angels!”
Crackle!
[‘Stigmata of Onoma’ is activated!]
A 70cm-long sword reminiscent of a cross gleamed with radiant light.
This was the authority wielded by Eden’s higher angels—
‘Stigmata of Onoma.’
This power, far superior to ordinary divine energy, nullified the opponent’s mana upon contact.
In other words, the more one clashed with it, the weaker they became.
Jinhyuk easily deflected the sword aimed at him.
“If you insist on learning the hard way…”
He had no choice but to utterly crush them.
With light and swift movements, Jinhyuk struck.
Boom!
The sheer force of his punch was unbelievable.
The table shattered into pieces, and one person was slammed into the ground.
Almost simultaneously—
The hilt of Hongryun pierced the chest of another Inquisitor coming from behind.
Crack!
“Argh!”
The searing pain of broken ribs.
The supposedly invincible Inquisitors were defeated without putting up much of a fight.
To think the famed ‘Stigmata of Onoma’ would be rendered so powerless.
“…The difference is staggering compared to what I’ve seen in videos. No wonder no one wants you as an enemy.”
The last remaining blond man let out a small sigh.
“I don’t understand why you’d push yourself so hard, knowing full well the risks. Is your faith worth more than spending 12 weeks in a hospital?”
“You’ll never understand—not in your entire lifetime. The weight of God’s will, what we’re willing to do for it—everything.”
“Frankly, I don’t even want to understand.”
Jinhyuk adjusted his stance again.
Since the die had been cast, his plan was to subdue them swiftly and wait for Han Sangjin to arrive.
No matter how strong the Vatican’s influence was, if they escalated this to a national level, his side could respond in kind.
Even if the government chose to remain passive, Veteran Corporation alone could suppress this incident with its name alone—forcefully, if necessary.
That’s how powerful Veteran Corporation was, standing in a position even great nations couldn’t challenge.
‘Well, who else but these fanatics would dare poke a hornet’s nest?’
The ranking among the large guilds had long been settled.
The only ones failing to grasp the situation were these Vatican zealots.
‘Vwooom!’
A golden flash ignited along the man’s sword.
As the leader, his energy was incomparable to the others Jinhyuk had faced earlier.
Moreover, the golden mana flowing from him was highly concentrated and extraordinarily natural.
No…
This was excessive.
How could a human manifest such pure divine stigmata?
Something was off.
Even for an apostle, possessing this level of sensitivity seemed illogical.
Jinhyuk activated [Eyes of Gluttony].
‘Ding!’
[Character Information]
Name: Kenneth
Level: 129
Unique Ability: Stigmata of Onoma
Skills:
– [Divine Enhancement] Lv19
– [Sacred Regeneration] Lv18
– [Power of Solidarity] Lv18
– [Angel’s Patronage (Passive)] Lv17
Replication Condition: Nephilim, the half-blood offspring of angels and humans, are both sacred and cursed beings. From Eden’s perspective, they are useful pawns but also shameful results they wish to hide. Nephilim are beings who fulfill their duties silently, unwelcomed anywhere. To replicate their ability, you must convert them.
Upon reading the status window, Jinhyuk’s questions were answered.
So that’s why they were so confident.
‘To think I’d encounter a Nephilim here.’
A half-blood of angel and human.
The Nephilim possessed abilities as rare as their existence.
One such unique ability was their capacity to move outside the Tower without restriction, despite being residents.
Furthermore, harming a Nephilim would lead to retribution from angels directly targeting the assailant. Hurting them was akin to madness.
Now Jinhyuk understood why the Vatican’s holy knights were acting so recklessly.
With the support of angels and Nephilim capable of operating outside the Tower, they naturally had little to fear.
‘Interesting.’
This changed everything.
If he could successfully sway the Nephilim, it would provide a significant advantage to Veteran Corporation on the 30th floor.
Jinhyuk’s mind began brewing a new, devious scheme.
—
‘Why isn’t he attacking? Just moments ago, he showed no hesitation.’
Kenneth tilted his head in confusion as he faced off with Jinhyuk.
‘There’s no way he’s realized what I am.’
It was impossible for an ordinary human to know about Nephilim.
Only the Vatican’s upper echelons and a select few Inquisitors were privy to his identity.
However, watching Jinhyuk casually sheath his dagger with a sly smile left Kenneth uneasy.
‘Swoosh.’
Jinhyuk closed the distance between them.
His defenseless approach left Kenneth momentarily stunned.
His reaction to attack was delayed by 0.1 seconds.
“Urgh!”
Kenneth belatedly tried to swing his sword.
But—
“Hmm. I had my suspicions, but you’re a Nephilim, aren’t you? That explains why you’re… different. But, for a Nephilim, aren’t you being a bit bold, drawing a sword against an archangel’s apostle?”
Jinhyuk’s absurd remark left Kenneth dumbfounded.
“You… How do you know that…?”
“How else?”
“Because I’m the real deal. How would I know your secret otherwise?”
Jinhyuk’s tone was calm, his performance flawless.
His acting had reached a level where he could convince anyone—even call a rock gold, and they’d believe him.
The tone of his voice, his subtle gestures—it was all meticulously calculated.
However, perhaps due to his notorious reputation, the reactions around him were icy at best.
“Absolutely impossible. If anything, demons might pick you. But no angel would ever choose you.”
“Jinhyuk… What are you trying to pull this time?”
“The contractor never fails to amaze me, in every sense.” (T/N: Same here Alice. Lol. He really is the number 1 scammer alongside Lloyd from Greatest Estate Developer and Raon of TRAIGS)
Even the Veteran Corporation members watching shook their heads in disbelief.
At times, they weren’t sure whether he was friend or foe.
“There’s no way… An archangel would never choose a heretic like you. Never, ever…”
Of course, Kenneth fiercely denied the claim.
But this wasn’t just baseless bravado.
Jinhyuk knew the magic words that could make even an archangel come running.
“Ahem!”
Clearing his throat, Jinhyuk muttered into the air.
“Ne…cro… oops!”
At that moment—
[Divinity ‘Harbinger of Victory’ responds urgently!]
[If you possess clues regarding the ‘Insect-like Sounding Book,’ please inform us immediately.]
A golden status window appeared before Jinhyuk and Kenneth.
There was no doubt—it was a message only the archangels of Eden could send.