Suho entered the cave.
[Young Master, this way. I sense the Outer Gods's energy from deep within.]
Beru, shrinking again to conserve mana, climbed onto Suho's shoulder and twitched his antennae. Deep inside the cave, where he pointed, was filled with impenetrable darkness, rendering anything invisible. But, staring into that unseen darkness, Beru soon narrowed his eyes coolly.
[Indeed, it seems certain that the sanctuary is hidden within.]
At Beru's words, Suho nodded.
"Yes. Now that I'm here, I can tell for sure."
He had wondered why this place, unlike the other hiding spots, was so far from any Elvenwood, but that wasn't it. Obscured by the streams of the Outer Gods's energy, he hadn't noticed it before, but from the end of this cave, he could faintly sense the same aura he felt from Elvenwoods. An Elvenwood was undoubtedly extending its roots to the end of this cave.
"So the Apostle of Conquest hid his sanctuaries centered around Elvenwoods after all. Not just on the surface, but underground too."
[Those exposed outside seem to have already hatched into butterflies and left to invade the cities. But here…]
"Are you saying there are still pupae remaining?"
Beru narrowed his eyes, staring into the cave's depths. There was a reason he had rushed to find Suho.
[Young Master, you must be cautious. Reading the Apostle of Conquest's memories, the pupa hidden here seemed somewhat special.]
Since he hadn't directly consumed the main body's brain, Beru had only read fragments of memory. From that alone, he could only surmise that the 'something' within was extraordinary. But that was enough. Suho's Sense stat was already reacting to the presence lurking deep within the darkness…
"…Whatever it is, I'll find out when I get there."
Suho's eyes flashed as black energy blazed around his entire body.
* * *
Meanwhile, among the Russians exiled from Yuri Orlov's city, some watched Suho's retreating back, their eyes secretly gleaming. Members of the Outer Gods Cult. Those who had been captivated by the Itarim's radiant divine power and willingly became fanatics of the Outer Gods cult.
'…Lucky. To encounter him in a place like this.'
They were mixed among the people, but they hadn't been exiled from the city with them. They were the ones who had settled in this cave first, and who had lured the exiled people here. For the fanatics who had been living here, in the sanctuary, from the start, this situation was highly opportune.
'We did it to increase the number of believers, but to think that man would walk right in on his own.'
The fanatics, licking their lips, secretly stole glances at Suho's back. And when he found the location of the sanctuary and tried to go deeper into the cave, they concealed their expressions and followed him.
"We don't know why you're going in there, but it's dangerous alone."
"Let's go together."
"We can at least provide some light…"
Fwoosh!
They eagerly lit torches to illuminate his path. Suho looked at them for a moment with a peculiar expression, then smirked and nodded.
"…You're kind people. But it's okay. I'm just going to check something briefly."
"Please allow us to follow. We know it's shameless, but it seems we would be safer by your side…"
They had just witnessed Suho instantly dispatching the swarm of magical beasts. From their perspective, separating from someone like that was clearly the more dangerous option. Since the pretext was sufficient, even those who weren't Outer Gods cultists couldn't help but follow Suho.
Thump.
Flicker!
And so, together they headed towards the sanctuary where the Elvenwood roots lay, shadows flickered along the winding cave walls, illuminated by the torches.
[Young Master.]
"…I know."
Suho and Beru exchanged a cryptic conversation, but the Outer Gods cultists couldn't understand its meaning. They couldn't ever imagine there would be any way to discover their true identities. And even if that happened, it didn't matter. Their own safety meant nothing in the face of the great cause.
'For Itarim.'
'For Itarim.'
As they stuck close behind Suho they prayed inwardly to the Outer Gods, maintaining fearful expressions on the outside. To the Outer Gods cultists, Sung Suho was already very famous. No, infamous. Though it had been revealed through various media, diverse news was shared among the believers scattered across different countries.
'All believers who got involved with Sung Suho have lost contact.'
'A plague-like fellow.'
'The Adversary of the Outer Gods Cult.'
Ordinary believers couldn't know the circumstances of the great apostles, nor could they understand them. But it was certain that Sung Suho was hostile towards the Outer Gods cult. And the fact that such a human had walked right into this place was an enormous opportunity.
'Hehe. Foolish one. To come here of all places.'
'Unlucky.'
'No matter how strong you are, 'He' is here.'
The Apostle of Conquest. Having gathered strength while thoroughly concealing himself, he had prepared several hiding places across the world. This was to ensure he could continue his existence in an even stronger main body, anywhere, anytime, should the need arise. And among those, this place was very special…
'Today is the day you die.'
After walking along the winding cave for a while, a giant door finally appeared before them.
"A door?"
[They kindly made the sanctuary to be easily recognizable.]
"Indeed."
Hearing Suho and Beru's nonchalant conversation, the Outer Gods cultists' lips twitched, as they tried to suppress their sneers.
"A-are you sure it's okay?"
"It looks suspicious even at first glance."
"To think there was an artificial door inside a cave."
"We can't follow any further."
As soon as they saw the mysterious door, the non-Awakened Russians turned pale and stepped back. It was a natural instinct. But here, the reactions differed. The Outer Gods cultists, far from stepping back, stuck even closer to Suho.
"W-we will follow you to the end."
"There are magical beasts outside anyway, so it's safer to be next to someone strong."
"…"
Suho didn't offer any particular response. Actions spoke louder than words. His hand pushed open the giant door without hesitation and he stepped inside, seeing the scenery unfolding beyond, he nodded.
"Indeed, a sanctuary."
An empty cavern And in its center, the roots of an Elvenwood were entangled. Beru's eyes flashed as he stared at the pulsating pupa nestled among them.
[Young Master, here is the pupa.]
"There's only one..."
Just one. But the extraordinary energy faintly flowing from that single pupa heightened Suho's vigilance. Beyond the translucent membrane, a human-shaped silhouette slept peacefully. He cautiously looked around and slowly approached the pupa.
Just then…
Boom—!
With a loud noise, the door Suho had entered through slammed shut on its own.
"Hm?"
Suho turned around, unsurprised.
There stood the Outer Gods cultists, having revealed their true colors, smiling wickedly.
"Finally caught you."
"Now you're finished."
"Once you've entered this place, you are now…"
Swish—
"…Guk."
[Silence, dogs of the Outer Gods.]
Beru mercilessly beheaded one of them.
"…?!"
At that moment, the expressions of the Outer Gods cultists, still smiling sinisterly, froze solid.
It happened too quickly. The head of their comrade standing right next to them was rolling on the floor. Still wearing a smile, unaware that its own neck had been severed. But even witnessing that horrific sight, the Outer Gods cultists neither screamed nor showed fear. Quite the opposite.
"How dare you!"
Rip—!
Suddenly, their backs split open, and two pairs of wings unfurled. Shedding the human guise they had worn until now, they were reborn as clones of the Apostle of Conquest. And without needing a signal, they lunged towards Suho and Beru.
Swish—
Bang!
At the gesture of Beru's hand, which had instantly grown larger. They were thrown back in the opposite direction faster than they had charged.
[Young Master, leave the small fries to me and focus on your well-being.]
Rip—
Even before Beru finished speaking, someone tore through the suspicious pupa in front of Suho and walked out. But that appearance… was strangely familiar. Suho searched his memory and murmured.
"Where have I seen him before… Ah, America."
He remembered. The video that Thomas Andre's closest aide, Laura, had shown him once. The S-rank Hunter from America whom Thomas Andre had personally tracked down and killed during his investigation of the Outer Gods cult. No, to be precise…
One who was a National-Level Hunter in a forgotten era.
"Christopher Reed."
[…Keuh. So that's the name that was attached to this body, was it?]
'Christopher Reed,' who had torn himself out of the pupa, replied to Suho's words with a sinister smile. But his expression was unnatural and bizarre, as if forcibly imitating a human.
Suho frowned. "Thomas Andre definitely killed him, don't tell me they stole the body?"
[Stole? We merely used it according to its original purpose.]
Riiip—
Surprisingly, the appearance of the one who had been storing power inside the pupa was that of Christopher Reed, who should have been long dead. And tearing through his back, two pairs of wings spread wide. Just like the other Outer Gods cultists. But there was a fundamental difference in the presence and pressure emanating from Christopher Reed compared to them. Even the radiant divine power felt from the blazing patterns on his wings.
Flash!
[Behold! Such a perfect vessel, it would be a waste not to use it!]
"Wow, what a surprise…"
Despite his words, Suho's expression showed no surprise at all. Nor did Beru, who was slaughtering the Outer Gods cultists behind him.
"Indeed, from your perspective, there would be no vessel more coveted than former Nation-Level Hunters. Then the apostle who lured Christopher Reed into the Outer Gods cult in the first place was…"
[Yes, it was I!]
Fwoooosh—
Before the answer was even finished, Christopher Reed's form shot towards Suho at blinding speed. No… more precisely, it was the clone of the Apostle of Conquest using his body as a host. Indeed, the vessel of a former 'National-Level Hunter' was sufficient for the apostles of Itarim. As it once contained the power of the Rulers, it was a perfect vessel that wouldn't break even when filled to the brim with such immense Outer Gods energy. But…
[When it comes to the size of the vessel, this side is at no disadvantage.]
Somewhere along the line, the small dragon, Ragnar, who had appeared beside Suho, opened his eyes. But they were the utterly wild and ferocious eyes of the former Monarch of Destruction Antares. Moreover the flames of destruction inherited from him intertwined with Suho's black shadow.
Fwoosh—
[Using Skill: 'Breath of Destruction'.]