Chapter 28 : Reality (10)

The Radiant Church’s Hunter Zone was eerily peaceful. On the surface, it was a utopia, devoid of conflict and crime.

‘Bless, or rather, the Radiant Church, is truly formidable.’ Hunter Zones were typically lawless territories, ruled by the strong, where power was the only justice. Murder, robbery, assault, fraud—crime was rampant. Only Hunters with sufficient strength could survive in such an environment.

But this Hunter Zone, under the Radiant Church’s control, was different. Hunters and civilians coexisted peacefully, free from crime and conflict. This was due to the influence of the Radiant Church, led by the S-rank Hunter, Bless. No one in their right mind would dare challenge an organization led by an S-rank Hunter, a being capable of taking on the entire world, except perhaps other S-ranks.

Bless was also notorious for her volatile temper. The infamous incident where she brutally tortured a member of the British royal family on live television, for daring to defy her, cemented her reputation for ruthlessness. Her cruel nature, juxtaposed against her stunning beauty, made her even more feared than other S-rank Hunters. The Radiant Church, under her leadership, maintained an iron grip on the Hunter Zone, enforcing a forced peace.

‘I have to be careful.’ My plan involved attacking the Radiant Church, assassinating a Bishop, a high-ranking member of their organization.

‘I can’t handle an S-rank yet, so I can’t afford to be discovered.’ I believed I could eventually reach S-rank. With my limitless Leisure Life Trait, my evolving angel Trait, and my numerous other abilities, I was confident I could reach the pinnacle of power given enough time and strong opponents to push my growth.

But for now, I was just a pseudo-B-rank, held back by the Class Limit. I couldn’t risk alerting Bless. I had to kill the Baron, the devil disguised as a Bishop, quickly and quietly.

I waited until nightfall, killing time by enjoying the local cuisine and indulging in some shopping.

As the sun set and the moon rose, casting a soft glow over the city, I began my preparations. I had to act fast.

“I’m too conspicuous.” Even with my halo and aura deactivated, my appearance—two pairs of wings, golden hair and eyes—was far too eye-catching. And I couldn’t change it. My Radiant Magic, despite having hundreds of spells, lacked any form of transformation or illusion magic. My Inventory also contained no such items.

If I was seen, it would be over. My unique appearance would immediately identify me as the culprit, leaving me with no plausible deniability. I would become a fugitive, hunted by the Radiant Church.

My only option was speed. A quick, decisive strike, in and out before anyone noticed.

“I know his location. This should be quick.” I had extracted the Baron’s location from Seo Jinwoon: the Cradle of Radiance, a church in the center of the Radiant Church compound, accessible only to Bishops and higher-ranking members.

I found the church, its opulent facade shining even in the moonlight, and slipped inside, making sure no one was around.

Creak.

The heavy, gold-encrusted doors creaked open, the sound echoing through the silent church.

‘No one’s here.’ With Kanshinki, my enhanced senses, and detection magic at full power, I could easily scan the entire church.

“A secret passage? Leading underground?” I found it beneath the statue of the Radiant God, a figure with eighteen pairs of wings and a radiant halo. The passage descended into the depths below.

“I sense… miasma.” A thick, repulsive aura emanated from the passage.

“No hesitation.” I pushed the statue aside, revealing the entrance, and stepped inside. I knew, instinctively, that the Baron was down there.

“Huu…” I activated my halo and aura at full power. There was no need to hide anymore. Deep underground, no one would see me.

“Here I go.” Bathed in radiant light, I descended into the miasma-filled passage.

The Baron wasn’t born a noble. Devils were assigned a rank at birth, from the supreme Demon King to the lowly commoners, based on their innate miasma reserves, its quality, and their overall potential.

The Baron had started as a knight, a high-ranking position in the Demon Realm, but he craved more. He desired the power and prestige of nobility. He fought tirelessly on the battlefields, shifting allegiances, seeking an opportunity to rise through the ranks.

Devils could absorb a portion of their victims’ power by consuming their hearts. The Baron used this to his advantage, steadily increasing his strength until he finally killed a nobleman, devoured his heart, and claimed the title of Baron, the lowest rank of nobility. It was a rare feat, for a non-noble to ascend to such a position.

But his ambition didn’t end there. He craved even greater power, aiming for higher nobility, perhaps even the throne of the Demon King. That’s why he came to Earth, a newly valuable dimension overflowing with mana after the otherworldly invasion.

“Hehehe. Time to indulge.” The easiest way for a devil to grow stronger was through consuming the hearts of their own kind. But there was a catch. Devouring weaker devils yielded no benefits. True power came from consuming the hearts of equals or superiors.

The Baron targeted stronger devils, but it wasn’t easy. As a former knight, he was inherently weaker than those born into nobility. His miasma reserves were limited, a restriction set at birth. He was a flawed noble, unable to compete with his peers.

So, he sought alternative methods. Using his authority as a Baron, he searched for ways to enhance his miasma. He discovered a loophole: consuming the negative emotions concentrated in the hearts of despairing humans. A shortcut, exploiting the fact that miasma originated from the negative emotions of powerful beings.

He had to resort to such methods. He was tired of being mocked and dismissed by other nobles for his inferior miasma. He disguised himself as a human, infiltrated the Radiant Church, the most influential organization on Earth, and became a Bishop, using his position and the church’s authority to harvest human despair.

“I can feel myself growing stronger.” He unleashed his miasma, now significantly denser and more potent than before, a testament to the effectiveness of his gruesome method.

“Kuhuhu. I’ll become a higher-ranking noble! No, I’ll become the Demon King! Hahaha!” He reveled in his growing power, absorbing the despair he harvested from the humans he abducted and tormented.

He never imagined…

“This is deeper than I thought.” …that an angel with a deep-seated hatred for devils…

“A disgusting seed of evil, defiling the sacred name of God…” …and a god-obsessed fanatic were coming for him.