Master of All Sins

Chapter 7 : A Monster That Wields Fire - 3

In the past, the Phantom World opened in Aeshin Hanguk and the world of monsters almost descended.

The founding myth explains this by saying that Aeshin Hanguk is the center of the world and that the entrance to the Phantom World is in this country, but in truth, that explanation was not very accurate.

Whether Aeshin is truly the center of the world is impossible to know as long as the Earth is round, so I'll let that slide.

The great entrances that connect to the Phantom World, called the Nine Great Phantom Gat in Aeshin, are certainly larger in scale than can be seen anywhere else in the world, but…….

That didn't mean there were no entrances to the Phantom World in other countries.

The Phantom World exists on the other side of the Human World, so theoretically, it could be entered from anywhere in the world and there were many entrances created where energy was concentrated.

So, if you ask if the area of the Phantom World exactly matches that of the Human World, of course it doesn't and if you ask if a once-opened gate always connects to the same point in the Phantom World, that is not the case either.

However, what is certain is that the larger the size of the gate, the higher the probability of it connecting to a dangerous area in the Phantom World and the easier it is for monsters to cross over from beyond the gate.

This was the reason why Aeshin's royal family and the Eight Families of White Blood could boast about protecting the Nine Great Phantom Gates.

“Green-Faced Goblins …… To think that this area is connected to the West.”

I frowned upon discovering a group of goblins, the representative fae, or evil spirits, of the West.

“It hasn't been long since I entered, so is there another gate nearby, or have the gate's coordinates changed in the meantime? If it's the latter, I'll be going home with the big-noses.”

What if the people of my clan knew that the entrance coordinates of the Shin Blood Great Gate would soon change and held the ritual to coincide with this time…….

As I was entertaining this unpleasant thought, I heard Hoa's laughter from beside me.

“Puhu, Noble one. These days, goblins show up more in the East than in the West.”

“What? Don't think you can look down on me and tease me just because this is my first time in the Phantom World. Although I don't know much about Western monsters, I at least know that the Green-Faced Goblin is the representative miscellaneous monster of the West.”

“That's not exactly the case. You must know well, Noble one, that monsters appear before those who seek them, right? Regardless of their origin, monsters appear in the territory of those who know a lot about them and call for them a lot.”

“Of course.”

The story of a monster visiting the person who called its name is very famous.

Thus, people eventually become so scared that they are reluctant to even speak the monster's name, and the monster, feasting on the negative emotions of fear and dread that flow from this, gains demonic power and becomes stronger.

“But no matter how easy the Green-Faced Goblins are, are you saying people are deliberately summoning them? What kind of strange act is that?”

“My goodness, Noble one, you don't seem to know the trends of the world. These days, goblins are…….”

– A woman!

– A pretty woman! Catch her and make her birth goblins!

– Catch the man next to her too! Catch him and make him birth goblins!

Just as Hoa was about to explain further, the goblin group also spotted the two of us and began to approach, jumping up and down on the spot.

Thanks to my innate spiritual power, I perfectly understood what they were saying, but there was a very strange part in the content of their words, making me suspect that there might be something wrong with my spiritual power or my ears…….

“Because the concept of them attacking both men and women indiscriminately like that has become established, they are active in all sorts of mature media. It's a story that's already more than 10 years old.”

Thanks to what Hoa told me while burning the goblins by shooting several fire bomb simultaneously without chanting a single incantation, I was finally able to know that I hadn't misheard.

– Kkieeeeeeeeeek!

– Fire, it's a fire that won't go out!

– Goblin dies! Goblin hates pretty lady!

“Now, you too, hurry and burn them, Noble one. Aren't they miscellaneous monsters that won't be of any help to the world even if they're alive?”

“I get it, so don't smile so scarily.”

At this rate, it looked like Hoa would annihilate the goblin horde by herself, so I also hurriedly chanted the incantation for the fire bomb and shot it.

Goblins, who could be said to have more rank than the miscellaneous monsters that were merely hazy spiritual entities, corresponded to 9th-grade monsters, but their strength as individuals was much lower than the tree monsters I had dealt with earlier.

If you ask if the tree monsters were of a higher rank, that wasn't the case either, so it should be said that goblins are simply on the weaker side among 9th-grade monsters.

As if that thought was reflected in my attitude, Hoa warned me.

“You shouldn't underestimate goblins, Noble one. They're cunning and know how to use tools, so their danger level skyrockets when they appear in groups, and if you mess up and let one escape, they're nasty creatures that will bring back thirty more. There are so many people who get done in by underestimating goblins that these days, there are even mature comics where goblins are active against sorcerers with that kind of development……”

“By comic, you mean a story that proceeds with pictures? Huh, even a commoner who is poor at reading can recognize the dangers of monsters by looking at it, so isn't it a good teaching material?”

“No. Well, that is. Hmm, it could be called a teaching material, but in a slightly different direction. ……And what era are we in that you're talking about commoners who are poor at reading.”

While looking at Hoa with strange eyes as she trailed off, unable to bring herself to speak about the content of the comic, I continued to shoot fire bombs at the creatures.

The reason why I was only mastering fire bombs while thinking of using ‘fire body’ against the Fire Dog was because, since they were both sorcery of the same lineage, they shared some of the concept of incantation proficiency.

The foundation of the sorcery of processing and handling fire was like that from the start, and the will contained in the incantation and the form of handling spiritual power were also similar.

“Hmm, that one is holding out strangely well. Looking closely, it's wearing some strange black clothes.”

“Even if the clothes are special, if the contents are a Green-Faced Goblin, it's the same. Fire bomb!”

“Ah!”

While dealing with the goblin horde, I had finally achieved another stage of growth.

I had omitted the latter half of the incantation following the common first half of the fire-system sorcery and created a fire bomb directly.

It might have been thanks to the abnormally good compatibility between the flames I gained through the Indulgence and the sorcery Hoa taught me, but it was also true that I felt a sense of pride.

“You're learning sorcery much faster than I thought, Noble one…… Shall I teach you a simple application?”

“Anything is fine. Teach me.”

– Kieeeeeek!

However, unfortunately, with my last incantation, even the goblin that had been holding on with some tenacity died.

The surprising fact was that even though the creature was dead, the clothes it had been wearing still remained intact.

“A Green-Faced Goblin wearing such fine clothes? It must have torn them off a rich young master who had just entered the Phantom World.”

However, when I got closer to inspect it, that wasn't the case.

The goblin, who didn't know how to wear the clothing, had literally just draped it over itself, and when I spread the clothes out properly, it looked like a very long overcoat…….

My eyes narrowed when I saw the red cross engraved along the side seam of the garment.

“This, could it be.”

“My goodness. Noble one, look over here.”

Looking where Hoa was pointing, I saw a red cross necklace lying on the nearby ground.

It was still emitting a sacred…… a clean aura different from the spiritual power wielded by sorcerers or the demonic power of monsters and that was probably why the goblins, who love shiny precious metals as much as crows do, had not pocketed it long ago.

With this, it was certain.

“I couldn't believe it, but. This is from Christianity…… and among them, isn't this the habit and enchanted tool worn by the Order of Exorcists , the elite combat group of the Catholic Church?”

“You can tell just by looking at the cross?”

“I would be certain if I could see the ash-gray belt that only the Order of Exorcists is said to wear, but it's probably correct. I learned about the groups that are mainly active in the Phantom World when I was young.”

But at the same time, it was something I didn't want to believe.

The Order of Exorcists, to which only those with the greatest talent from the largest sect of the world's largest religion can belong.

They must surely be a gathering of only geniuses and each individual must be a powerhouse who can easily defeat a 5th-grade monster without a Shikigami!

……is what I thought in my young heart, admiring them and even imagining myself fighting against monsters alongside them someday.

To think that an elite priest would be defeated by the likes of goblins and have his clothes and enchanted tool taken away!

“I hope to God that's not the case or perhaps he stole them and ran away…….”

“Still, it turned out well. This cross, it's an absurdly fine item to be used as a decoration. If we melt this down, imbue it with sorcery, carve it, and decorate your staff with it, it would be of no small help in fighting the Fire Dog.”

“Not possible.”

“Kkeung.”

Slapping away the hand of Hoa, who, as an unholy monster, fearlessly tried to pick up the cross necklace, I picked up the necklace, wrapped it in the habit, and said firmly.

“If I, in my need, steal from another, then I will have nothing to say if another needy person takes what is mine. I do not wish to have my things taken from me under any circumstances. Therefore, I cannot steal the belongings of another.”

“But this isn't taking, it's just picking up and using what some idiot dropped, isn't it?”

“When the identity of the owner has been specified, how can you say it was just picked up? My heart does not permit it.”

“Even if you die to the Fire Dog because you don't use this?”

“It would be a matter of whether the heart dies first, or the body dies first.”

“No one is watching, so why do you care about your heart……”

“I am watching. The discussion is over.”

Hoa pouted and grumbled, but I paid her no more heed and made the habit into a bundle, tying it around my waist.

My back had been aching from too much activity earlier anyway, so would it be alright to use it as a belt for a little while?

“Then we'll have to find other monsters. I'll be sure to make a decoration that you'll absolutely love, Noble one, so please look forward to it.”

“……I'm sorry.”

“Yeees?”

When I suddenly apologized, the surprised Hoa looked back, but I stood still in that spot without moving.

Actually, it wasn't that I was standing, but that I was too tired and in too much pain to move.

“I had forgotten how weak my body is. I've somehow held on until now, but honestly, I can't go on anymore. If I don't get enough rest from now on to prepare for the battle with the Fire Dog, I'll collapse in vain.”

“Ah, come to think of it……”

– Nya?

Just then, as if it had heard me say I was in pain, Myodusa appeared like a ghost and climbed up my body.

The sensation of the pain in the parts it passed over decreasing in real-time was like a pleasure, and I had to be careful not to make a strange sound.

However, the pain was only alleviated; my vitality had not returned.

“In my entire life, this is the first time I've moved so much in one day. I've also been injured a lot…… It's a miracle I'm alive.”

“Why does such a noble person have to suffer so much……. It would be best to get rid of the Fire Dog quickly and return to a safe daily life.”

“A safe daily life, you say.”

To me, the words 'daily life' were synonymous with living in a prison.

This single day held more value to me than the last 10 years of my life.

If I could fight the Fire Dog and survive…… I wanted to try and picture a new future now.

I thought I had had enough of harboring futile hopes only to be frustrated, but it was laughable how, as soon as a new possibility called the Indulgence appeared, I was clinging to it without tiring of it.

It was fine to be laughable; I wanted to live longer.

And to do that.

I had to continue to accumulate karma.

“Noble one? Are you alright?”

“Yes, I'm alright. I was just thinking about what to do after getting rid of the Fire Dog.”

“This girl will escort you to a safe place, Noble one!”

“That, let's talk about it again after we've dealt with the Fire Dog.”

“Noble one……?”

When I, who would have coldly refused or scoffed, discussed the future with her, Hoa looked at me with an expression of surprise.

Then suddenly, her eyes glinted fiercely and she lunged at me.

“Get down!”

– Myaooooong!

Immediately after, an endlessly hot wave of heat washed over the two of us.

Would it be like this if you gathered the sun's fire in a basket and poured it out?

Even in the midst of the confusion while rolling on the ground with Hoa, I looked directly at the blood flowing from the scratches on my body and shouted.

“May my blood become a moat and my flesh a castle wall. Fire blood!”

Beyond the blood barrier that rose up in an instant.

A giant beast, which had at some point appeared and covered the sky of the Phantom World, growled as it prepared to pour out the sun's fire again.

– You can't run anymore. I will offer you a lot as a burnt offering and appease His wrath!