Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 258

“The operation has failed.”

The atmosphere in the command center turned heavy.

Everyone lowered their heads, their faces grim.

The shock brought by the words ‘operation failed’ was immense.

“We couldn’t break through the enemy’s Legend and Cardinal ranks. I’m sorry…”

Olaven Grimier placed a hand on the reporter’s shoulder.

“You’ve done well.”

His expression was indifferent.

At this moment, when everyone was wavering, he, as the commander, couldn’t afford to show a disheartened appearance.

“Focus on treating the wounded and issue an alert to the entire Empire. From now on, we prepare for war with Gatrein.”

As soon as the order was given, the command headquarters sprang into action, as if they had never been depressed.

People were faithful to their respective roles. These were the elites that the Drasen Empire had painstakingly cultivated.

No matter how great the shock, they would not abandon their duties. Such pathetic individuals would not have been able to set foot in this command headquarters from the start.

“What about Lord Choi Hyun-seok and Lady Park Hyun-ah?”

“Lady Park Hyun-ah is returning to the capital, Dracsel, under the protection of the support unit that was on standby. Her injuries are severe, but the on-site assessment is that her life is not in danger.”

“That’s a relief. What about Lord Choi Hyun-seok?”

“…Lord Choi Hyun-seok did not return.”

It had already been reported once, but it needed to be confirmed again.

Olaven Grimier spoke in an even lower voice. “Was he killed in action?”

“According to Lady Park Hyun-ah, Lord Choi Hyun-seok was also in critical condition. It is not believed that he could have survived on that battlefield.”

“I see… that must be the case.”

There were well over a hundred thousand of Gatrein’s elite soldiers alone. Choi Hyun-seok and Park Hyun-ah endured for an hour against all of them, the Legend-ranked warriors, and the Cardinal [a high-ranking religious figure, similar to a Pope]. At the end, Choi Hyun-seok sacrificed himself to save Park Hyun-ah, so it was right to assume that there was no chance of him surviving.

‘After that, magic power was detected, and the battle resumed…’

There were reports that magic power at the level of a legion commander was detected, and the battle continued for several hours in the capital, Gratiam.

For some reason, it seemed that the Demon race had intervened.

The thought that the Demon race might have saved Choi Hyun-seok briefly crossed his mind, but Olaven Grimier shook his head.

Survival is impossible.

It doesn’t make sense that Choi Hyun-seok, who was already dying, endured for several hours on the battlefield.

Besides, even that magic power eventually disappeared.

‘Now, a full-scale war is inevitable.’

His mouth felt bitter.

Although it was to prevent the ridiculous magic called ‘The Empire’s Devotion,’ Drasen attacked Gatrein by surprise anyway.

The justification was with Gatrein, and Drasen would not be able to avoid criticism. It was a natural course of events that war would break out.

‘No, maybe it’s fortunate if a war breaks out.’

Thinking about it again, the real problem wasn’t the war.

The worst-case scenario was Gatrein, driven into a corner, actually using The Empire’s Devotion.

‘That’s abandoning Gatrein and the Deusis Order [the main religious order in Gatrein]. They won’t use it so easily.’

No matter how out of his mind the Pope was, it didn’t seem like he would use that magic so easily.

That was truly a declaration to abandon everything and pursue only chaos and destruction.

Having a lot means having a lot to lose.

The Pope would not give up everything and enter the path of Asura [a path of constant conflict and suffering in Buddhist cosmology].

It was when Olaven Grimier was trying to continue with positive thoughts that the ground began to shake.

Gugugugugu…!

The people in the command center lowered their posture and assessed the situation.

“What is it? Magic?”

“No magic power or demonic energy is detected nearby!”

“Then is it a natural disaster?”

“This is an earthquake…?”

Everyone panicked and looked around when someone shouted.

“Commander! It’s divine power! The divine power level is rising!”

“Divine power? Is it divine magic?”

“No. The concentration of divine power is simply increasing.”

The concentration of divine power is increasing. It is not easy for such a thing to occur naturally.

Moreover, if it is special enough to report, the level is abnormal.

“It’s rising rapidly from twice the existing level! It has just reached three times!”

The vibration was still continuing.

Anxiety settled on Olaven Grimier’s face.

“Is the divine power level rising only in this place, Dracsel?”

Please, it had to be. This vibration now, this had to be magic aimed at the capital, Dracsel, with Gatrein sending priests and paladins to attack.

If not, this is…

“No! The level is rising across the continent beyond Drasen’s territory! At this rate, we must consider it a continent-scale magic!”

“Damn it…”

Olaven Grimier closed his eyes.

In the end, the worst situation he had feared had occurred.

The Empire’s Devotion had been activated.

“Everyone, don’t panic and continue with your assigned tasks. I must see His Majesty the Emperor.”

Olaven Grimier was heading straight to the Imperial Palace to meet the Emperor when a scream that seemed to tear through the command center echoed.

“Kkyaaaaa-!”

***

A village in the Holy Gatrein Empire.

People panicked and were thrown into confusion by the sudden earthquake.

“Oh my! What’s going on!?”

“Mom! I’m scared! Waaaaa-!”

“The gods are angry! Pray quickly!”

Startled by the unprecedented large-scale earthquake, people quickly regained stability with the sudden surge of warm energy.

“What is this…?”

“The gods are calling us!”

“Deusis…!”

Everyone possesses a small amount of magic power. In addition, if they faithfully believe in the Deusis Order, they are likely to possess some divine power as well.

It’s just that most of them have such a small amount that it is meaningless unless they are priests or paladins.

Even a tiny amount of divine power is enough.

The divine power latent within them quickly consumed their bodies and minds.

“Entrust yourself. The gods will guide you.”

The Empire’s Devotion does not force the target; it simply guides.

Entrust yourself to the divine power and become one. Then all anxiety, fear, and anguish will disappear, and you will be able to become one.

There was no believer who would not fall for that sweet whisper.

“Ah…!”

The spirit is greatly elevated. Warmth fills the whole body, and the head becomes clear.

To be exact, it’s not that it becomes clear, but that it becomes empty. But what does it matter?

You don’t have to suffer anymore. You can be forever immersed in happiness.

“Khehehe, hehehe!”

“Hehe… hehet!”

“Haha! Hahahahaha!”

The laughter that erupted from everywhere soon filled the entire village.

More than half of the people on the continent believe in the Deusis Order. It is no exaggeration to say that 99.9% of the population of the Holy Gatrein Empire believes in the Deusis Order.

Tens of millions, perhaps even hundreds of millions, of people entrusted their bodies to the warm divine power.

“We are one.”

“We are one.”

“We are one.”

The villagers opened their mouths at the same time without a single error. Each of their faces wore a bizarre smile.

“The gods guide us.”

“The gods guide us.”

“The gods guide us.”

The people who were crazy about happiness began to move.

***

Same time.

A cave located in an unexplored region where people do not set foot.

Rahel was hesitating and glancing around.

‘Sigh… scary…!’

Choi Hyun-seok, who was dying, was lying in front of her. Even though his condition was critical, he seemed to be able to survive somehow because his vitality was so tenacious.

So, the reason why Rahel was looking around and trembling was not because of Choi Hyun-seok, but because of Hemis, who was grinning right next to her.

The so-called ‘Lip Monster’ was staring at Rahel.

“Hello~?”

“Hehe… hello…”

Rahel bowed 90 degrees and greeted politely.

Hemis’s smile deepened even more at the sight.

“Is this the first time we’ve talked?”

“Yes…! You, you’re beautiful!”

“Ohohoho! Thank you.”

An unexpected compliment. Hemis laughed in her unique high tone as if she was in a good mood, even at the lip service that didn’t feel like a soul at all.

“…”

The silence continued again.

Hemis was still looking at Rahel with an unknown smile.

‘Why are you looking at me like that…!’

That look and expression, it’s strangely familiar. It was the same face she made when she looked at a new macaron and imagined what it would taste like.

“R, Rahel doesn’t taste good…!”

“Really~?”

“Yes, yes, yes! I only eat macarons every day, so I’m getting fat! A, and I don’t even wash, so I smell terrible!”

Rahel lifted her collar and sniffed, then distorted her expression excessively.

“Ugh! If you eat something like this, you’ll get a stomachache!”

“I’ve never had a stomachache in my life?”

“Ah! Eat this warrior here instead of me! He’s a warrior, so he works out hard and has plenty of protein! It’s very nutritious!”

Rahel whined and lifted Choi Hyun-seok’s arm, as if to say, eat this plump arm instead of her small and insignificant self. She looked at Hemis with trembling eyes.

“This sturdy arm! How about it!? It’s very mouth-watering….”

“What should I do? I like soft fat more than muscles~”

Hemis stuck out her tongue and licked her red lips.

Rahel got goosebumps all over her body. She trembled with fear for a moment. Suddenly, she felt sad, and she shed tears like raindrops.

“Rahel still has a lot of things she wants to do… Please save me…”

“What should I do~?”

“If you save me, I’ll do whatever you tell me to! Sniff!”

It was then that the ground began to shake.

Gugugugugu…!

The ground shook, and stone powder fell from the ceiling. At the same time, Rahel trembled as if she had been struck by lightning. She didn’t look good, rolling around while trembling.

Hemis watched the scene with interesting eyes.

“Hooh, what is this phenomenon?”

She can see it. Two rings attached to Rahel. One is connected to Choi Hyun-seok. The other is connected to somewhere else beyond the dimension. The shock was coming from that other dimension.

“It seems that that man has really done something.”

Vast divine power descends from the sky. To be exact, it is flowing from somewhere, tearing through dimensions. The divine power distributed in the atmosphere was increasing abnormally.

“Euegyagyagyagyagyak!”

“Shall I help you?”

Rahel couldn’t even answer and screamed. However, her eyes were desperately asking for help.

“Hmm, she might die if I do it wrong, but… well, does it matter?”

“Euegyak!?”

Hemis held out her white hand. Rahel shook her head like crazy, but she didn’t have the power to stop Hemis’s movements.

Jjeoeok-!

The tips of Hemis’s fingers split and chewed on the chain.

Kwaduk!

One of the two rings connected to Rahel was cut off as it was. At the same time, Rahel stopped moving and collapsed.

“Is she dead?”

Hemis poked Rahel’s back. Rahel didn’t move at all, as if she was really dead.

“I can’t help it. Since she’s dead anyway, I’ll just have to eat her.”

“I’m alive! I’m alive!”

Rahel jumped up. She looked at her body here and there.

“Hahaha! Resurrection complete…?”

She laughed for a moment, relieved from the pain. Rahel’s eyes shook in all directions.

Nothingness.

A huge void was unfolding in front of her.

Jjeoeoeoeoeok-!

The pit, the end of which could not be known, was approaching.

“Ah?”

Kwaduk!