After eliminating all the Hunters guarding the church, I shoved open the massive arched doors.
Creeaakk!
A loud screech of metal echoed out as clouds of dust rose into the air. The torches scattered throughout the place flickered from the breeze seeping in through the gap.
The interior of the church was much wider—and filthier—than I’d expected. Bloodstains were splattered all over, and the church pews were either shattered or scattered across the floor.
But what struck me most was the group of bastards gathered inside the church. Even though they clearly knew I was here, they didn’t even glance my way and just continued with what they were doing.
“Thus, as we await the god who will one day awaken, we must never let go of our faith. The path of pain is one we must go through to reach salvation.”
A freak draped in a strange cloth stood at the pulpit, murmuring his sermon. Before him, people knelt in prayer and shouted out in fervent voices.
“Our faith is unshakable!”
“No matter what hardship comes, we shall follow Him!”
“O God of Catastrophe!”
“O God of Catastrophe!”
“...The hell is this?”
Watching them all cry out in unison for the so-called God of Catastrophe, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Do they think someone’s little brother is the fucking Heavenly Demon or something?
The man standing at the pulpit pointed at me and opened his mouth again.
“Be proud to stand upon the trial platform.”
With that command, the kneeling men all turned their heads toward me. Feeling the sharp killing intent prickling my skin, I curled my lips upward.
“Why look for a god? You’re all gonna die here anyway.”
From the bastard standing at the front to those offering their prayers, every single one of them was an Awakener.
What bothered me, though, was that all the bastards closing the distance with weapons in hand had that unmistakable vacant look in their eyes.
Either they’re under a mental-type skill, or they’ve just gone full psycho with this cult bullshit.
Either way, I wasn’t planning to let them live.
The moment I raised my sword, the fight began.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, scorching flames erupted.
Barely dodging a flame-based skill, I leapt high while cutting down the enemy charging at me. I soared over the crowd of melee dealers pushing forward and hurled myself toward the ranged dealers in the back.
Take out the ranged dealers first.
There were over ten bastards here just to kill me.
And on top of that, backup could come from the lower floors at any time. So the fewer ranged enemies there were, the less risk I’d have to deal with.
“Aaaagh!”
Slash!—I felt the distinct sensation of slicing through something hard with my fingertips.
Blood sprayed as a pair of severed arms fell with a wet thud onto the floor. I beheaded the screaming bastard and, the moment my feet touched down, spun around to roundhouse kick the guy next to him in the neck.
Crack!
“Gkk!”
His neck snapped, and he died instantly. With two ranged dealers down in one blow, killing intent exploded from all around me.
“Rip his limbs apart!”
“Kill him! Dump all your skills into him!”
I blocked an axe blade aimed at my shoulder and slammed my fist into the enemy’s jaw.
“Heavenly Demon’s Return, Ten Thousand Demons Rejoice, you fuckers!”
I was pissed. No—beyond pissed. Did they seriously entrust salvation to that little brat? Fuck that. This couldn’t stand.
These dogshit bastards had to be wiped out before I left.
Rumble!
The ceiling and walls shook violently as if an earthquake had hit.
The Director, who had been checking the monitor connected to the lab’s machinery, frowned and looked up.
“What the hell is that? It’s been happening for a while now. Is something going on outside?”
“Sh-should I check?”
The researcher, seeing the look on her face that practically screamed ‘why are you even asking?’, bowed hurriedly and rushed out of the lab.
“You’re really on edge today, Director.”
The producer slouched on the sofa blew a bubble with her gum, watching her mood.
“So how long do I have to stay in here? I’m going fucking insane.”
“Shut it. You fucked up the job, so what the hell are you whining about?”
“What? The hell did you just say, you crazy bitch?”
The producer flared up, about to jump up in anger, but the Director only scoffed in contempt.
“If I’m a bitch, then your head must be made of instant noodles. You really think you deserve praise after screwing up that badly?”
As the Director’s eyes flicked toward a pair of earrings lying on the table, the producer clenched his teeth in frustration.
The mood in the lab hit rock bottom—right then, the staff member who’d gone to check came running back.
“D-Director!”
Pale-faced and breathless, he shouted in a panic.
“Intruder—there’s an intruder...!”
“What?”
“There’s an intruder! The Hunters guarding the church are all dead. Right now, the underground-floor Hunters are trying to hold him back—”
“Intruder?”
The Director’s pupils gleamed sharply.
The look in her eyes made the producer look like he was about to lose his mind.
“I told you it’s not me! J said he smashed the phone and the chip. With that, there’s no way the earrings could be used to track us!”
“Hey. Are you sure? Did you really destroy it properly?”
At her question, J, who had been silently standing off to the side, nodded quietly.
Unlike the producer, J wasn’t the type to lie. If something had gone wrong, he would’ve said so right away. That meant this much could be trusted.
Then how the hell did the intruder find this place? And for what reason?
Gripped by unresolved questions and a gnawing sense of dread, the Director narrowed her eyes and turned to the staff member.
“This intruder. What does he look like? What’s his rank?”
“Uh? Oh, yes. He’s wearing a hat and a mask, so his face wasn’t visible. But... I think he’s S-rank...”
Hearing that, the Director’s eyes widened with realization.
S-rank?
An S-rank wasn’t someone you ran into casually. And if this person had come here with a clear purpose...
“What about hair color? Even if you can’t see the face, the hair should’ve been visible.”
Her voice was practically a growl now, and the terrified staff member broke into a sweat.
“I-I heard it was blonde...”
“Ha!”
The Director let out a sharp laugh and crushed the document in her hand.
It’s him. It’s definitely that bastard.
When the lab had been raided by a guild, he had chased her all the way into the central research room and disrupted her experiment.
As that memory surfaced, the Director looked at the specimen sealed in the glass chamber.
That’s what he’s after.
Even in the chaos of the previous raid, he had come specifically to steal that specimen. This time would be no different.
This was her chance. A chance to repay that humiliation and uncover his identity.
With a grin that stretched unnaturally wide, the Director tossed aside the crumpled documents and immediately moved.
“D-Director?”
“Keep close watch here. I’ll be back soon.”
Leaving the flustered staff behind, she strode toward the exit. Just before leaving the lab, she glanced at the glass chamber.
It’s just for a bit. It’ll be fine, right?
The specimen’s condition was unstable. It was supposed to be impossible for him to wake up yet, but the fluctuations in his vital ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) signs made it seem like he might.
It had already been 16 hours since the specimen was put into the chamber. According to her calculations, it should’ve been stable for 30, but there was still a slight chance it could awaken early.
Well, even if it does, there’s no way it’s getting out of there.
Curling her lips into a sneer, the Director left the lab.
The moment she disappeared, the producer—who had been muttering curses under his breath—jumped to his feet like he’d been waiting for it.
“Fuck this, I’m leaving too. I’m not staying another second in this shithole. J, you coming?”
“......”
J blinked slowly and shook his head again, wordless.
Of course. Muttering complaints, the producer turned his back and left the lab without hesitation, leaving J alone.
Turning his gaze from the door, J looked again at the glass chamber.
The specimen trapped inside had changed so drastically from the day he was dragged here, he was barely recognizable. Taller now, muscular, his body was clearly that of a grown man rather than a boy.
Despite the large physique, the face beneath the black hair remained strikingly handsome.
He looked peaceful, like he was merely asleep—but J knew better. He was enduring immense pain, even now.
Unlike the Director, J had noticed right away. He was delaying his awakening on purpose, trying to reclaim as much strength as possible.
It would still be a few more hours before he could wake.
Just like the two who left before, it might be better for J to go up and check out the intruder himself. If the remaining Hunters were all taken out, he’d have to step in anyway.
Just as J made that decision and took his first step—
“...!”
A chill ran up his spine. The overwhelming terror that swept over him from behind made his entire body go limp.
Staggering, J struggled to stay conscious under the crushing pressure. Swallowing a moan, he turned around—and met a pair of brilliant green eyes glaring straight at him.
And then—
Boom! Crash!
“Urgh...!”
The reinforced glass chamber shattered in an instant, and a black shadow engulfed the lab.
Main Quest: Reunite with the Villain (Time Remaining: 3 hours 28 minutes)

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