The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 302

Swordmaster Wants to Live in Peace – 301

Holy Shrine (11)

The atmosphere and structure had changed.

Meteor Shower connected the Holy Shrine and the Underworld through Persephone’s pomegranate seeds.

At any moment, the forces of the Underworld could set foot in the Holy Shrine of Korea.

Of course, the deities of the Korean Peninsula wouldn’t allow it.

This was extremely unpleasant for them.

“Let’s keep it reasonable, old folks.”

Yoosungwoo said, grabbing the handle of his life’s work [his sword] at his waist.

Further conflict would be a loss for Yoosungwoo as well, so he entrusted himself to Persephone’s touch.

“I don’t think I can respect my elders anymore. Try to calm down when we meet next time.”

Persephone pulled Yoosungwoo into the hole.

He didn’t resist and disappeared into the pit, bowing slightly towards Jumong and Yi Sun-sin [Korean historical figures often revered as deities or heroes].

A small token of gratitude to those who had helped him.

“You guys need to get your act together.”

And he flipped off the Cloud Master.

He told the old man who couldn’t come to his senses to go eat *yeot* [a Korean taffy-like candy, often used in a similar context to ‘go pound sand’].

It would be a blessing if he didn’t lose a tooth while eating it.

With that, Yoosungwoo threw himself into the black hole.

***

Deep darkness, night.

And a chilling wind awakens the spirit.

He must have lost consciousness for a moment while moving from the Jade Emperor’s Palace to the Greek Underworld, as he opened his eyes on a hard stone floor.

As he got up, Persephone was sitting right next to him in a chair, enjoying a tea time in the Underworld.

“You’re awake.”

“How long was I out?”

“Not long. About 10 minutes?”

So, Persephone had been having an amazing tea time for 10 minutes.

Yoosungwoo got up from his seat and sat across from Persephone in the empty chair.

As he sat across from her, she smiled, personally pouring a cup of tea for Yoosungwoo.

“You owe me, you know?”

“I owe you a big one. It would have been difficult to get out of that situation without any injuries.”

“Were those the deities of the Holy Shrine of Korea? They were formidable, not inferior to those of Olympus.”

Yoosungwoo took a sip of the tea.

Before, he wouldn’t touch the food of the Underworld because he wouldn’t be able to escape it.

But now, he had the ability not to be bound by such things.

“Not bad.”

“It’s more than just ‘not bad.’ I used tea leaves that my mother personally grew for me.”

“…This is an amazing tea.”

Yoosungwoo, having used a Talulah [likely a reference to a powerful artifact or ability] once, hurriedly changed the subject.

“This is my second time in the Underworld, but it’s desolate here.”

“Hell and the Underworld are different.”

“Well, aren’t they similar? In that they judge sins. Anyway, thank you this time. I don’t have much to repay you with.”

“How about joining Olympus as a reward?”

“You’re asking for too much right off the bat.”

Persephone chuckled as Yoosungwoo frowned.

“I’m just kidding. I just have a small wish that you would prioritize Olympus a little more when considering the Holy Shrine.”

“About that, Persephone. Since I received your help, I’ll tell you in advance. I have no intention of joining any Holy Shrine.”

“…Does that mean you have a Holy Shrine already decided on?”

“No. I’m going to create a new Holy Shrine. A new Holy Shrine centered around me.”

“That’s absurd. If you did that now, you’d become everyone’s enemy, you know?”

“I’ve already prepared a way to buy time. I’m telling you in advance since I received your help. Don’t waste your energy on a chicken game.”

“Could it be that buying time means…”

Persephone narrowed her eyes at Yoosungwoo, then burst out laughing.

Could it be that he was planning to pull off a grand scam against the gods?

Was he not afraid of their wrath?

“I know what you’re thinking. I’ll endure all of that. In the end, the Holy Shrine is determined by the size of its faith.”

“Besides, you’re the only one on Earth who has ascended to deity status in a human body. When I saw you before, you were so small… should I have eaten you back then?”

“Scary words. If you spread what happened in the Jade Emperor’s Palace, the Holy Shrines in other lands will start to move too. To take me over.”

Yoosungwoo was like a delicious sweet potato dropped among boars called Holy Shrines.

A small Holy Shrine could achieve tremendous growth by recruiting Yoosungwoo, and a large Holy Shrine could solidify its position.

Furthermore, it was a one-chance to aim for other Holy Shrines as well.

“They’ll naturally fight to take you over… If I hadn’t heard the story, Olympus would have joined in and wasted a lot of power.”

“This is enough of a reward, right? I told you in advance so you wouldn’t get scammed.”

It was a ridiculous statement.

He was confidently saying that he would scam the gods, while also acting like he was giving her a pass.

But it wasn’t an unreasonable statement, so Persephone couldn’t help but laugh.

If she hadn’t known this information, Olympus would have climbed on board the war to take Yoosungwoo and wasted a considerable amount of power.

“It is important information. Thanks to you, I was able to prevent Olympus from being consumed… Then shall we talk about something else?”

Persephone’s eyes changed.

Yoosungwoo could fully guess what she was about to say.

“Yoosungwoo, if you establish a Holy Shrine, you will make many enemies. It’s been almost thousands of years since a new Holy Shrine was born.”

“It’s inevitable that the vested interests will tear at a newly emerging force.”

“The depth of those who have been rooted in the ground for a long time is different from those who have just taken root. They have multiple deities, but your Holy Shrine has only one.”

They were overwhelmingly disadvantaged in terms of power.

Was there a way to overcome this situation?

Persephone was saying that. Yoosungwoo also acknowledged it.

Moreover, they were interested in him now, but if he became useless, they would mercilessly abandon him.

That’s what gods are like.

Yoosungwoo would have to constantly prove himself even after establishing the Holy Shrine.

If he wanted to continue achieving what he desired.

Yoosungwoo opened his mouth.

“I have some friends who can help. Having a wide network is helpful in times like these.”

At least, they would buy him time until he had the power to be worthy of a Holy Shrine.

Persephone looked at Yoosungwoo meaningfully.

Who were the ‘friends’ he was talking about?

If they could help the Holy Shrine, they must be beings reaching the level of deities.

She decided not to think too deeply. Everything would come to the surface in due time.

“Then there won’t be much of a problem. I will support you too. Master Yoosungwoo. Of course, my husband will think the same.”

Clatter.

Yoosungwoo turned his head towards the sound.

There, deep in the darkness, sat a figure at the table, enjoying tea time with them.

He hadn’t even noticed when he arrived.

Yoosungwoo swallowed his embarrassment and narrowed his eyes.

‘…King Hades of the Underworld.’

One of the main gods of Greek mythology and the ruler of the Underworld.

The owner of the planet Pluto floating in that sky.

The master of the deepest place, and the incarnation of the dark night.

Hades’ gaze turned towards Yoosungwoo. No, it wasn’t even possible to distinguish if he had a face.

Only the certainty that ‘he was being watched’ was felt.

-…In the darkest place, I will be waiting.

A single word that felt like it was being hammered into his mind.

Hades, who left a single word, scattered and disappeared like smoke.

Leaving only the teacup behind, a testament to his presence.

Persephone, who saw that, said.

“My dear is so shy, it’s cute.”

“…Is that so.”

“The reason he came out in that form just now is because he’s too embarrassed to show his face, you know?”

“Is that so.”

“When we eat together, the way he eats whatever I put in his mouth is just like a hamster.”

“…………I see.”

“Oh? Your reaction seems a little insincere. What do you think?”

“That’s… no, enough.”

Yoosungwoo was annoyed.

If he kept listening like this, Persephone would continue her filibuster on ‘Hades’ cuteness’ for twenty-four hours.

“It seems like it’s time to send you back. If you walk straight along the path behind you, you’ll be able to go to Korea.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“Ah, one thing. You know, right? You shouldn’t look back when leaving the Underworld.”

Yoosungwoo nodded.

It was a famous story in Greek mythology, wasn’t it?

When a man who was responsible for ruining the mood was taking his dead lover out of the Underworld, he looked back and was never able to meet her again.

He wondered what would happen if he looked back when there was no one to take out.

“I enjoyed the tea. Please give my regards to your mother.”

“My mother will be pleased too.”

Yoosungwoo bowed to her and headed towards the exit of the Underworld.

A deep cave, a desolate passage with only small torches hanging on the walls.

“Is it this way?”

There were stairs with light coming in.

It was probably the exit Persephone was talking about, and the place where Orpheus lost his lover forever.

As he slowly started climbing the stairs, a voice was heard from behind.

-Sungwoo, you have to protect your younger sibling.

-Sungwoo, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for leaving you and your sibling behind…

A familiar but no longer hearable voice.

He was hearing it again after decades of only hearing it in his dreams.

-So please take us with you too. To that ground.

-Together, let’s go together. To the underground.

Usually, in this situation, if you look back, you’ll be dragged into the Underworld.

Yoosungwoo looked back without hesitation.

“Who are you imitating the voices of now?”

Behind him were not his parents, but spirits.

“My parents died in Korea, why would they be in the Western Underworld? You stupid bastards.”

Before they could run away, Yoosungwoo reached out and grabbed them, then beat them to a pulp.

In the process, he mastered the knack of beating souls, allowing him to beat them even more painfully.

After making the spirits half-dead and finishing his revenge, he roughly threw them aside and climbed the stairs again.

This time, no voices were heard.

“…If I ever go to Korean Hell, I should look them up.”

I didn’t even hold a memorial service for them.

I should at least see their faces.

***

After Yoosungwoo visited the Holy Shrine, the Earth was plunged into chaos.

The gods had begun to directly reveal their forms.

Until now, the gods had only revealed themselves to a select few humans.

In the case of Japan, it was the priestesses, and in Korea, it was the shamans… only those who were chosen could see them.

“A reincarnation of Thor has appeared in Northern Europe? What kind of bullshit is that?”

“A reincarnation of Cú Chulainn [an Irish mythological hero] in Ireland?”

“What? King Arthur has appeared and founded the Round Table?”

“A Cheonma [a mythical winged horse] in China? Didn’t you know there was already a Cheonma? You idiot.”

The same words began to spring up everywhere.

It was the moment when the gods’ dice game targeting the entire Earth began in earnest.

Among them, the one leading the way was naturally Korea.

Korea had a real ‘god’ occupying that position, not an incarnation.

Like in the very old days, in the past.

The ‘Age of Mythology’ had returned.