Not All Heroes From Earth Are Bad [EN]: Chapter 270

I was right. The moment he registered that he’d been hit, the Pope was embedded in a wall.

KWA-KWANG!

With a deafening roar, pure white crystals scattered in all directions.

The force was unbelievable for what should have been a simple punch.

If this place hadn’t been covered in Divine Power crystals, he would have smashed through the outer wall and flown far away.

“It’s impressive, but you still haven’t crossed the boundary.”

The Pope stood up and brushed the crystals off his clothes.

He looked far too relaxed for someone who had been sent flying dozens of meters into a wall.

In fact, there wasn’t even a scratch on his body.

WHOOSH!

At that moment, Choi Hyun-seok arrived, tearing through the fog of crystals.

Engulfed in burning mana, he looked like a messenger from hell.

The Pope suddenly thought their appearances were ridiculous.

‘How amusing. Is this what they call grotesque beauty?’

The Pope looked like a pure white angel from head to toe.

An appearance that would inspire holiness and awe in anyone who saw it.

He looked like something transcendent, an apostle of God.

It was a stark contrast to Choi Hyun-seok.

A messenger of hell and an apostle of God.

The contrast between the two and the irony of the situation were strangely amusing, and the corners of his mouth lifted before he knew it.

“What’s so funny?”

“Reality is a mess, after all. What you see and experience, the arrogant prejudices of humans based on that, have nothing to do with the truth. Don’t you think?”

“Save the Zen riddles for yourself!”

Choi Hyun-seok’s answer to the headache-inducing question was a fist.

His two fists alternated, relentlessly pounding.

Overwhelming speed and power that even a legend couldn’t handle.

A destructive attack that would turn anyone into a puddle of blood in an instant.

Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!

The Pope blocked every single attack.

Even though the speed was impossible to follow with the eye.

He continued to defend with ease, as if he knew where the attacks were coming from.

PAH! KWANG!

The shockwaves from the impacts scattered white crystals, disrupting the space.

Amidst the swirling crystals, the Pope maintained a relaxed expression throughout.

“I have already transcended the human body. In some ways, I may have truly become closer to God.”

Choi Hyun-seok didn’t answer.

He just kept throwing punches and kicks.

He couldn’t rest for a moment, as he was burning everything he had to maintain his current state.

The Pope didn’t particularly want an answer, as he continued to speak.

“I have realized it. The unknown realm that humans do not know. The power of a being that transcends everything.”

A strange longing filled the Pope’s eyes as he spoke.

Greed and desire.

The primal emotions that one who has seen a higher world cannot help but have.

“To be honest, I have only just stepped into it. But look. The overwhelming difference between you and me.”

The Pope, who had been focused on defense, suddenly switched to offense.

A fist flying towards his chest.

Choi Hyun-seok raised his arm to block it.

And then.

KOO-OONG…!

With a heavy shockwave, Choi Hyun-seok’s figure was launched like a beam of light.

KWAAAAAAANG!

The entire imperial palace trembled as he crashed into the pure white crystals.

It was an overwhelming power that far surpassed Choi Hyun-seok’s.

“You cannot defeat me. We exist in different dimensions. Even if it’s just one foot in, the difference is clear.”

The Pope’s tone was calm.

Neither overestimating himself nor looking down on the other.

He was simply stating an objective fact.

It seemed like he was speaking with this intention.

“Hoo…”

Choi Hyun-seok pushed away the mass of crystals that had buried him and stood up.

The Pope shook his head as he took a fighting stance again.

“Stop this foolishness. The longer you resist, the greater the pain.”

“Foolishness…?”

“Yes. It is foolishness. Of course, I admit it. You are strong. Perhaps the strongest human in history. If it were the old me, I would never have been able to defeat you.”

The Pope stretched out his arms to the sides.

WHIIIIING!

As Divine Power gathered, pure white crystals were created.

The crystals, adorned with elaborate patterns, embroidered the sky and sparkled as they reflected the sunlight.

“But your strength is only within the realm of humans. As I said, I have transcended that limit.”

The Pope extended his arm.

At the same time, the pure white crystals shot out at tremendous speed.

KWAGWAGWAGWAGWANG!

The Divine Power crystals were embedded and exploded.

A tearing explosion.

The aftermath sent dust and crystal fragments flying.

The entire imperial palace shook once again, showing how strong the power was.

Sss…

As the dust cleared, Choi Hyun-seok was revealed, panting.

“Huk… Huk…”

He was quite exhausted even after a short battle.

Because he had pushed himself to the limit.

He had no choice but to be exhausted because he had poured everything into the fight.

The flames of burning mana had also diminished significantly from before, showing how weakened he was.

“Do you think there’s a chance? Even if you develop further and come back, the gap between us is already….”

“Ha, you’re chattering so fucking loudly. Are you fighting with your mouth?”

“…”

The Pope’s mouth snapped shut at the unexpected remark.

Choi Hyun-seok glared at the Pope and grinned fiercely.

“Let me ask you one thing.”

Choi Hyun-seok took a step and approached the Pope.

The Pope stood still and watched Choi Hyun-seok approach.

Thud- Thud-

The distance between the two narrowed until they were within arm’s reach.

Choi Hyun-seok stared into the Pope’s eyes from a distance close enough to feel each other’s breath.

“If you’re so great, why don’t you just kill me?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Transcendence this, different dimension that. In the end, you just want to say that you’re fucking strong.”

The corners of Choi Hyun-seok’s mouth lifted as he spoke.

“Then stop chattering with your mouth and kill me right now.”

“…”

“Why? Can’t you do it? Your eyes are shaking like a dog that needs to take a shit. What are you so anxious about?”

“Nonsense!”

Divine Power exploded with the Pope’s shout.

KWAAAAANG!

Choi Hyun-seok was sent flying into the wall without fail.

Pure white crystals scattered.

Choi Hyun-seok’s appearance became even more miserable.

The flames of burning mana that had been raging were now so faint that they were barely visible.

“Know your place! You have already lost. I am simply showing the magnanimous side of an absolute being to a loser!”

The Pope’s voice was even more agitated as he shouted.

“Hoo…”

Choi Hyun-seok walked laboriously, supporting himself on the ground.

Black blood gushed out as he coughed.

He wiped the flowing blood with his hand and looked up at the Pope.

“You’re not very talented at lying.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re flustered and reacting because I hit you where it hurts.”

“Your delusions are excessive. I’m done being lenient.”

The Pope forcefully stretched his arm towards the sky.

WHOOOOOONG-!

Divine Power swirled and began to gather.

The energy felt was on a different level than before.

Choi Hyun-seok, who had already reached his limit, would never be able to withstand this attack.

“Die now.”

The mass of Divine Power flew and caused a massive explosion.

KWAAAAAAA!

The outer wall, which had withstood any attack until now, was completely shattered.

A huge crater was created around the explosion.

Its power surpassed even the Vision Magic used by Park Hyun-ah.

If this place hadn’t been the imperial palace protected by Divine Power crystals, the entire city might have been destroyed.

“Tsk, this is the price of stupidity.”

The Pope turned around without bothering to check the results.

After all, Choi Hyun-seok’s body would have disappeared without a trace.

At that moment.

“Ah, I get it now…”

The Pope’s eyes widened at the voice he heard from behind.

With eyes filled with shock and disbelief, he slowly turned around.

“How…?”

Choi Hyun-seok was standing there.

His entire body was covered in blood.

Flomot [likely a weapon or technique] had been released, and he didn’t seem to have the strength to lift a finger.

But for some reason, only his eyes were still shining.

“You knew it. That you were incomplete.”

“Wh-What are you talking about?”

“You said you had one foot in the realm? I think I know now. Why you said that.”

Choi Hyun-seok took a step.

He was trembling, and his steps were precarious, as if he would collapse at any moment, but he was clearly moving forward.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Divine Power crystals flew with the Pope’s sharp voice.

Pshoo- Paht-

Blood splattered again as the crystals grazed his skin.

Choi Hyun-seok staggered, sometimes falling, but getting up again and moving forward.

“You must have been afraid. You thought there was nothing above you, you went up thinking it was the end, but then you saw the real sky.”

“D-Don’t come any closer!”

All sorts of magic flew along with the pure white crystals.

KWANG! KWANG! KWAAAA!

The surroundings were instantly devastated.

The swirling Divine Power crystals made it look like it was hailing.

And Choi Hyun-seok was still standing.

“Actually, I had a vague feeling too. That there was something beyond humans. That another world existed.”

For some reason, Choi Hyun-seok didn’t fall.

He continued to move in a state where it wouldn’t be strange if he died right away.

Rather, he seemed to be recovering his body more than before.

The Pope’s breathing became rough, and his pure white eyes shook 불안하게 [uneasily].

“Why! Why aren’t you dying!? Die right now!!!”

“You too. And me too. The moment this fight started, we instinctively felt it.”

At some point, Choi Hyun-seok stopped trembling.

His body recovered visibly quickly.

To make matters worse, the strange purple light emanating from him made him look like something beyond human.

Choi Hyun-seok slowly raised his hand and pointed to his chest.

“This was a game I had no choice but to win.”

He threw off all the restraints that had been holding him down.

***

Park Hyun-ah frowned deeply and 짚었다 [gripped] the floor.

Her chest rose and fell roughly.

Her irregular breathing showed how exhausted she was.

“That monster. What the hell is she!?”

At the end of Park Hyun-ah’s gaze was Saint Moriel.

Unlike her, who looked 힘겨워 [struggling], Moriel still looked the same as when the battle started.

“Hmm~ I think it’s a kind of clone that split off from the main body.”

Hemis said, stroking her chin with her white hand.

Park Hyun-ah’s brow furrowed even deeper at the unexpected content.

“Clone? Then where is the main body?”

“This imperial palace.”

“Imperial palace…?”

“Yeah. This entire imperial palace is that bitch’s main body.”

Park Hyun-ah swallowed a hollow laugh.

What kind of nonsense was that?

The imperial palace, a building, is the main body.

“Then can I kill that bitch by destroying this imperial palace?”

“Maybe?”

“That’s impossible!”

To be exact, it’s close to impossible.

This imperial palace is covered with a huge amount of Divine Power crystals.

Its strength is beyond imagination, and even Park Hyun-ah would take a very long time to completely destroy it.

If she used Vision Magic, she could destroy it a little more easily, but she wouldn’t just stand by and watch.

Since it was obvious that she would interfere in any way, it was impossible to destroy the imperial palace right away.

Park Hyun-ah clapped her hands, suddenly remembering something.

“Mouth! You eat anything well! Swallow this imperial palace whole!”

“How vulgar… And even I can’t handle these crystals. Even if I eat a little, I’ll get a stomach ache.”

Come to think of it, Hemis hadn’t swallowed anything since she first appeared.

It seemed that she was also a demon, so swallowing a mass of Divine Power was a burden.

Perhaps just being in this space was quite difficult.

“Then what do I do?”

“Wait patiently. Choi Hyun-seok will take care of it.”

“What grounds do you have for spouting such carefree 소리 [nonsense]….”

KOO-OOO-OONG-!

At that moment, the entire imperial palace trembled.

White crystal fragments fell from the ceiling due to the vibration.

“What…?”

“The real fight has begun.”

“What kind of fight makes the entire imperial palace tremble!?”

The imperial palace had stood firm even while Park Hyun-ah and Hemis were fighting.

Even if this space shook slightly, the entire imperial palace didn’t shake as if it was about to collapse like this.

She couldn’t even guess how strong the power would have to be to make that possible.

“That’s why I told you? It wouldn’t help if we went together.”

Park Hyun-ah had no choice but to nod.

She was convinced by that power.

No matter how 날고 긴다 [skilled and experienced] she and Hemis were.

In a battle where attacks that could shake this imperial palace were exchanged, what they could do would be extremely limited.

“Preventing that battle from being interfered with. That’s the best thing to do.”

KOO-OONG! KWAAAAANG!

The imperial palace shook in succession.

At the same time, Saint Moriel’s face contorted for the first time.

Park Hyun-ah smiled when she saw that reaction.

“I’m going to get help unintentionally?”

Hemis’s guess that Moriel’s main body was the imperial palace seemed to be true.

The more the imperial palace shook, the more Moriel’s expression contorted.

“In the meantime, I’ll quickly clean up the annoying muscle pigs!”

If she couldn’t inflict a proper blow on Saint Moriel anyway, she was going to quickly clean up the cardinals next to her first.

Just as Park Hyun-ah was about to move again.

KWAAAAAAA!

Her vision flickered with a fierce explosion.

Park Hyun-ah had no choice but to close her eyes for a moment.

After a little time passed like that.

She carefully opened her eyes and uttered a curse without realizing it.

“Uh… Shit?”

Gurrrrr…!

The imperial palace was collapsing.