Laws of the Hunt

by lilipadd

For offline purposes only :)

3. The reason for remembering

"…Huh?"

A confused noise came out of Choi Han's mouth.

"Hmm?"

Raon, who stopped being invisible for a moment, tilted his head in confusion. The white-haired red-eyed young boy didn't care and walked toward Cale.

The young boy was around 160 cm tall, just around Rosalyn's height, and seemed to be just a bit older than On.

His white hair was extremely silky and might even seem to glow like silver under the sun if seen from the right angle. His red eyes were brighter than Rosalyn's red eyes and, this too, if seen incorrectly, might be mistaken as orange.

"Cale."

The young boy spoke to Cale, who was silently standing there with a scowl on his face.

"It's been so long, but you didn't come. So I just decided to come myself. Is that not okay?"

"…Mm."

Cale groaned before looking down at the young boy who stopped one step in front of him and responded.

"Team leader?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Haaa."

Cale let out a deep sigh before brushing his face with both hands. The young boy smiled after seeing that Cale's eyes were fluctuating deeply.

Cale nonchalantly commented at that moment.

"Are you making sure to eat?"

"…Huh?"

Cale was looking over the young boy with a significantly grumbling gaze.

The young boy had a blank expression on his face as he blinked. Cale didn't care, yet he was struggling to say what was on his mind because there was something he didn't like but he didn't know whether he should say something like this at their reunion after such a long time.

"A bit, a bit-"

Raon came over to the young boy's side and commented.

"He looks feeble! Are you not eating properly?"

"…Huh?"

The young boy asked back in confusion when Choi Han came over to his side as well, inspected him from head to toe, and spoke in a concerned tone.

"Does the God of Death make you work without feeding you? Or were there a lot of difficulties in your life after your reincarnation? Why did you live such a hard life instead of coming to find us sooner?"

Choi Han, who seemed to have already come up with his own story, rambled on.

"…Ha!"

The young boy scoffed in disbelief.

"I'm not sure whether this is exactly as I expected or completely unexpected, but… I can feel it now that I'm seeing you guys like this."

The young boy extended his hand toward Cale while speaking in his unique tired voice.

"You're good people."

Cale looked at the extended hand for a bit.

The hand was already full of scars and calluses.

"It's been a while, team leader."

Cale shook his hand and greeted him for the first time in a very long time.

The reincarnated team leader's age and appearance were quite different, but there were a lot of similarities as well. He looked like how Lee Soo Hyuk might have looked when he was younger.

He was a young boy but already gave off that unique noir vibe.

The two of them quietly observed each other for a moment.

Raon's eyes were wide open as he looked back and forth between the two of them and then turned his head.

'Hmm?'

Raon then saw Choi Han standing there pushing at the corners of his eyes with his mouth closed. Based on what Raon knew about Choi Han's personality, this meant that he was quite emotional right now. He didn't know why, but Choi Han was extremely emotional.

"Hmm?"

Raon's wings fluttered.

"Cale-nim."

Choi Han's expression changed as well.

"Human! It looks like people are heading toward this building! It's kind of noisy down below!"

Cale walked toward the destroyed window and looked down. The people who were originally down below and someone who looked to be a bishop were heading toward the building. The knight in charge had quite the awkward look on his face.

Cale quickly turned away from the window before he made eye contact with them.

"Cale-nim, will you meet the bishop?"

"Who knows?"

The divine item from the God of Death. Cale Henituse was designated as the person to receive that divine item.

Thinking about these two things gave Cale a headache. He made eye contact with the young boy at that moment.

"The divine item from the God of Death has a slightly special purpose."

Cale's eyes clouded over.

"Choi Han, can you go down and buy me some time?"

"Yes, Cale-nim. I understand."

"Raon, you go be in the middle to deliver me information."

"I got it, human!"

Choi Han quickly jumped out the window. He did open and close his mouth a few times without saying anything while looking at the white-haired boy, but smiled and jumped down after the young boy waved at him.

Raon did not go out the window but toward the lower floors of the building. His chubby black body slowly started to turn invisible.

"I'll be back, human! Oh, black hawk!"

Black hawk. Cale remembered that the white-haired young boy was the black hawk.

'Is he a bird beast person?'

It was a bit unfamiliar for Cale, who had mainly met mammalian beast people.

The white haired boy waved at Raon while Cale was thinking things through.

"Nice to meet you, Raon."

"Hey black hawk, do you know a lot about me?"

Raon stopped being invisible again and asked. The boy smiled gently and responded.

"A bit?"

"Who are you?"

"I am, mm, can I tell him?"

Cale looked at the young boy and black Dragon who were looking at him and answered.

"The team leader of the company I used to work in before I transmigrated here."

Raon knew that Cale had transmigrated here.

The boy added to Cale's explanation.

"I died and reincarnated. I worked under the God of Death before and even after I reincarnated, until just a few days ago."

Raon's round eyes opened even wider.

Raon looked back and forth between Cale and the boy before clenching his front paws and speaking in a solemn voice.

"I know what you mean, two humans!"

He then flew over to the white-haired boy and placed his chubby paw on his shoulder.

"Very nice to meet you! But what is your name?"

"Me?"

The wind fluttered with the white-haired boy at the center.

"Lee Soo Hyuk in my previous life, Sui Khan in my current life."

Chhhhhhhhhh-

Black wings grew out of the boy's back.

"I was born in the Black Hawk tribe."

"I have black wings too! Nice to meet you! We can talk later! I'm going to go help Choi Han!"

Raon's face looked brighter as he looked at a different pair of black wings than his, waved his front paw, and headed down. Of course, he turned invisible again so it was hard to see him.

– Human, the two of you have a nice chat!

"Pffft."

Cale chuckled at Raon's bright voice that only he could hear in his mind. He then asked with a smile still on his face.

"Why didn't you come to look for me for the past two years?"

However, his voice was slightly shaking to the point that either Raon or Choi Han would have noticed.

Sui Khan folded his black wings. He then answered calmly.

"My mind was going in and out."

'Hmm? What was going in and out?'

Cale looked at Sui Khan with a baffled look as if his voice had not been shaking.

Sui Khan slowly avoided his gaze and answered in an awkward tone.

"I was fated to be born in this world. That was why I was born here. However, my soul could not properly take its place here until my merits were properly accepted."

Cale recalled something the God of Death had said.

'He was fated to be born there this time.'

'Lee Soo Hyuk was the one who gave you Embrace. He gave his power to you. You were able to use that power to seal the sealed god. That is Lee Soo Hyuk's greatest merit.'

Basically, it meant that it was highly likely that the merits were not approved for Lee Soo Hyuk properly until Cale sealed the sealed god and took care of the incident.

'As a reward for his merit, he is able to be reborn with his memories.'

Team leader Lee Soo Hyuk wanted to be reborn with his memories as his reward.

Sui Khan looked at Cale's expression as he continued.

"Until now, I worked in my soul state for the God of Death and had to come to this world every so often so that the connection between my body and my soul is not severed. To keep it simple, my soul went back and forth between the Divine World and the human world."

"…Is that okay?"

Sui Khan's red eyes observed the man who was looking at him with concern.

"I had no choice. Being reincarnated with past memories is something extremely heavy. You need to have your merits approved by the gods who have been in their positions for a long time to do that."

Sui Khan shrugged his shoulders and added on.

"Of course, there were a lot of things I needed to do because I was in an unstable state whenever I was in this world."

Cale naturally opened his mouth after seeing Sui Khan speaking so lightly of this.

He had a lot of things he wanted to say and a lot of things he wanted to ask.

It was because all sorts of memories flooded Cale's mind after seeing this welcomed familiarity through this unfamiliar appearance.

– Human! Choi Han can't stop him any longer! The bishop is coming up!

However, the two of them did not have much time left.

"It looks like people are coming up."

A gust of wind came out of Sui Khan's body.

"We will talk specifics later, but let me tell you the urgent things for now."

The gust of wind disappeared and a small Black Hawk flew over and landed on Cale's shoulder.

"Am I heavy?"

"…I can handle this much."

"I'm relieved. Cale, you are the one who should eat something. You really don't do any kind of exercise. The body you built up as team leader is all gone."

"…But it looks like you have started to become a nagger, team leader."

"Well, that is true."

The Black Hawk nodded his head before quietly whispering.

"Cale, do you know what the fact that I reincarnated with my memories symbolizes?"

Cale chuckled at Sui Khan's tone that sounded exactly the same as the tone Lee Soo Hyuk used when teaching new employee Kim Rok Soo something.

'It looks like I'm going to be carrying my former boss on my shoulder.'

He quietly mumbled.

Looking past meeting people the reincarnated person would have relations with from the past life… There was one other thing that being reincarnated with past memories symbolized.

"There must be quite a lot of information in your mind, team leader."

"Yes. You are still just as smart, Cale."

Cale calmly looked at the eyes of the Black Hawk that were looking at him with satisfaction. Sui Khan thought that Cale had not changed at all as he continued to speak.

"The God of Death does not know everything about the Hunters."

Cale could hear chatter from a distance. The bishop of the God of Death and his crew seemed quite closer.

However, Cale focused on Sui Khan's voice.

"However, the things that the God of Death knows and was allowed to talk about… I remember all of them."

The black Hawk smiled lightly and added on.

"You can say that I am an arrangement made by the God of Death to inform you about the Hunters."

Cale scowled as if he didn't like that, but the Black Hawk pushed down on Cale's arm with his wing and added on.

"You can decide whether you want to accept the holy item from the God of Death."

"…What kind of divine item is it? I thought it was something to take the place of the cintamani."

Cale held back his disapproval and asked before the Black Hawk immediately answered.

"I don't know about the cintamani, but… The holy item-"

He stopped for a moment before calmly adding on.

"Is something that will allow you to travel through dimensions."

The Hunters were able to travel through numerous worlds and dimensions.

"Ha!"

Cale let out a short laugh.

"I have this odd feeling that I am moving as the God of Death wants."

"That god is probably being beaten to a pulp because of this divine item too."

"Excuse me?"

'A god getting beaten to a pulp?'

"Why?"

"Did you say beaten to a pulp?"

"Yes. I'm sure he's being pummeled quite a bit. There is a scary god who is focused on balance. I'll tell you about him later."

The man and the Hawk both turned to look at the hallway.

They heard a voice.

"Choi Han-nim, is the Commander in here?"

"…That's right, sir."

They heard Choi Han and an old man's voices. This must be the bishop.

Cale focused on the hallway as he mumbled in a low voice.

"Team leader, either way, it looks like we will need to work together for the first time in a long while."

"Indeed."

The Black Hawk's eyes curled up as if he was truly happy.

– Human! The bishop is here!

The Church of the God of Death.

Cale did not have any connections with that church aside from Cage. However, he heard that because it was an old church, the people became more closed off and extremely strict the higher up they went in the hierarchy.

'The bishop of such a church…'

A decently humble smile fitting the position of a Commander appeared on Cale's face.

He could imagine the situation.

Even though Cale was hailed as the hero of the Roan Kingdom, he was still an outsider from the Church of the God of Death. Such an outsider became the person the god personally bestowed a divine item upon.

The bishop probably didn't like that fact, but would definitely try to use this in a way that was beneficial for the church.

How would the bishop of the God of Death approach him?

Cale could see the bishop who came down the hallway.

He looked like a regular old man.

The knight in charge gestured toward the old man with both hands and quickly tried to explain.

"Commander-nim, this sir is from the Church of the God of Death-"

However, the old man moved first.

He bowed extremely respectfully toward Cale.

He then greeted him in a voice that was neither too loud nor too quiet.

"I greet the sir who has received the will of the god."

The bishop was almost too polite.

The bishop continued to speak as Cale was thrown off by his demeanor.

"It is an honor to meet the future Saint-nim."

The bishop's eyes were clearly firm, unlike his average appearance.

They were also burning up with desire.

It was as if the greatest chance of his life was in front of his eyes.

'Aigoo.'

Cale pushed against the side of his head with one hand.

---

"Saint? I am not a Saint, Bishop-nim."

"Commander-nim."

Grab. The bishop suddenly grasped one of Cale's hands.

'How the hell does an old man have such a strong grip?!'

Cale was shocked at the strong grasp that felt as if the bishop was holding onto a golden rope. However, the bishop simply smiled with sincerity and warmth. He also had a look that was full of a sense of duty.

– Human! The bishop's gaze is weird!

'I know, right?'

Cale could see through the fake sincere look of duty because of the bishop's burning gaze.

'I guess he wants to become the Pope.'

On the other hand, the bishop was observing Cale's expression.

'…There was no reaction at all even when I called him Saint. This calmness… It is surprising.'

Bishop Tolis, the person in charge of the Church of the God of Death in the Roan Kingdom, used magic to fly over from Puzzle City immediately after a knight told him that Cale left for the capital with the crown prince.

"It has been a very long time since our god personally bestowed a divine item with a Divine Oracle to the Church of the God of Death. Furthermore, this is the first time in the history of the church that our lord directed a divine item to an individual."

His voice was warm unlike his burning gaze.

"This is no insignificant matter."

The Church of the God of Death did not have a Saint or a Holy Maiden.

"Commander-nim, our lord has chosen you."

The bishop was hoping for something to be true.

He wanted this Commander to not be a very good hero yet.

It would also be fine if this Commander had a strong desire for fame and glory.

If neither of those, maybe at least the desire to gain even more power.

However, the Commander in front of him was truly like the man who had achieved such much merit in just two years.

He needed to cast aside any half-baked hopes.

The bishop approved of Cale after hearing what he had to say next.

"Bishop-nim. Terrible things have happened in multiple locations throughout the capital and many people have been hurt."

He understood why the God of Death would choose this person.

The bishop immediately responded to him.

"Why do you think I brought so many priests here, Commander-nim? They are not my guards."

The knight next to them chimed in.

"They are healing priests, Commander-nim."

"We have already sent some to the Royal Palace as well. We are slightly lacking in manpower because we left most of the high-grade priests at Puzzle City, but there will be priests coming from the nearby temples to make up for their absence."

Cale realized something after hearing the bishop's comment.

'He is someone who knows what he needs to do as bishop.'

The bishop who came to look for Cale as he understood the value of the divine item that appeared in the Roan Kingdom…

Although this guy was greedy for the position of Pope, he was someone who knew what he needed to do as Bishop and as the person in charge of the kingdom's church.

'This changes things.'

The bishop continued to speak as Cale scoped him out.

"I simply came today to inform you that such a thing has happened. I will be on my way now as I am sure that you are busy, Commander-nim."

'Wow. He knows when to back down as well.'

Something that would put fear in the hearts of the citizens of the kingdom had just happened in the capital. But the Church of the God of Death is causing a scene about a holy item?

It was not a wise choice in front of the citizens who are worried for their lives.

The bishop was clearly aware of this.

'He's smarter than I thought.'

Cale had neither a good nor bad impression of the Church of the God of Death since they had excommunicated priestess Cage, but, if he had to choose one direction, he would say that he had a bad impression of them.

"Bishop-nim."

Cale thought that he could communicate with this bishop who knew when to back down.

"I will go visit the Church of the God of Death in the near future. May we chat at that time?"

"Of course, Commander-nim."

The knight who brought the bishop over and Choi Han looked at the bishop in shock. It was because the bishop was acting completely differently from the guy who strongly emphasized that he needed to meet Cale when they were down below.

"Then I will be on my way now."

"Yes, Bishop-nim. I will contact you and visit you soon."

"I understand."

The bishop retreated without any hesitation. He turned around and started to walk before stopping for a moment to look at Cale.

"Commander-nim. I believe that it would be difficult to sever this relationship between you and the Church of the God of Death from now on. So, please remember this."

The knight barely held back from gasping.

'Being involved with the Church. From the Royal Family to the church, now there is nobody in this world who would dare to mess with the Commander-nim.'

Well, it wasn't as if anybody was going to mess with Cale Henituse and the Duke's House of Henituse anyway.

The bishop said something else that shocked the knight once more.

"Please remember that our Roan Kingdom's Church of the God of Death is always behind you, Commander-nim. Please contact us whenever you may need our assistance."

Cale chuckled internally at the Bishop specifying that it was the Roan Kingdom's Church of the God of Death and not all Churches of the God of Death and responded somewhat sincerely.

"Thank you very much, Bishop-nim."

The bishop then smiled as if he was satisfied before quietly walking back. He motioned with his hand toward the knight who tried to follow him to stop him and then approached the around 20 priests who came with him.

"Assist in the restoration of the Ducal Estate."

"Yes sir!"

All of the priests except two moved past the bishop and walked toward the knight in charge.

One of the two remaining priests cautiously asked.

"How was it, Bishop-nim?"

The other priest also warily looked at the bishop.

The bishop looked toward the main building of the Ducal Estate.

Cale Henituse was looking at his direction through a broken window. The bishop naturally turned his gaze and opened his mouth after his back was facing Cale.

"He is not someone we should make a plea toward. He is someone we should make deals with."

"…Excuse me?"

The bishop thought about the Cale Henituse that he believed he understood.

He was as amazing as the rumors but, in some aspects, different from the rumors.

"It is difficult for a hero to become a Commander. It is not a position you can get by doing well fighting on your own."

Cale Henituse's eyes were extremely desolate and indifferent to be called a hero.

Of course, he must have some hidden warmth in them as he was able to achieve numerous merits.

"…He does have a mood that is suited for death."

He quietly mumbled and gave orders to the two priests.

"Start opening the temple doors all hours of the day and protect the homeless nearby."

"Yes sir."

"And that excommunicated priestess. Did they say that she is close to Commander Cale?"

"I am not sure if they are close, but I have heard that she and Marquis Taylor do have some level of relationship with him."

The bishop closed his eyes and recalled some things.

"Cage-, I remember her."

There were a good number of priests who had been excommunicated by the church. However, he was able to remember Cage.

"She was a lively one, wasn't she? However, she was all over the place."

"…."

"Contact that child."

"…Bishop-nim-"

The priest flinched at the bishop telling him to contact an excommunicated priestess and looked at him. There was a bit of repulsion in his gaze.

The bishop chuckled at him.

"Although the Church of the God of Death has a long history, it has never been a major church. However, we now have a chance for the hero of the Eastern and Western continents to be connected to the church. Do you know the meaning of that?"

"…."

"Do you also know the meaning of our temple being the connecting point with that hero?"

"…."

The priest lowered his head.

The bishop looked at him and continued to speak.

"What is it? Does what I am doing seem far from being sincere?"

He spoke with laughter in his voice.

"Well, it's not like you saw wrong. But it isn't new."

Similar to how the Roan Kingdom had this image of doing whatever they needed to do to survive prior to the war… The Church of the God of Death was only a so-so church in the Roan Kingdom where all sorts of religions were allowed.

It was only normal for the Vatican to treat such a church as mediocre.

"We can't miss this opportunity."

The bishop made that comment before starting to walk.

"I will go contact the Vatican."

He turned his head.

Cale was looking at him.

"That's a relief. It looks like we'll be able to chat and understand each other."

He smiled and headed toward the temple.

Cale quietly observed the bishop who looked at him once and left the Ducal Estate.

– Human, that bishop gramps is a bit cold!

"Cale-nim, when will you be going to the Church of the God of Death?"

Chhh-

The black Hawk opened its wings and floated up.

Cale responded to the three individuals looking at him.

"We will go immediately after reporting to his highness."

He looked at the black Hawk, Sui Khan.

"It looks like there's a lot to hear anyway. Isn't it easier to hear it all at once?"

"Easier indeed."

The attendant who had been working for less than one year in the palace was completely quiet as he walked.

'Mm!'

He gasped while looking around.

The Crown Prince Palace.

There were knights every few steps in the hallway and the entire Roan Royal Palace was full of knights and soldiers on patrol nonstop.

Ooooooooong-

Mages were casting all sorts of defense-type spells outside the window along with offensive spells. They were getting ready so that they could go into battle at any moment.

'…It's the pillar from the King's Palace.'

He could see a large pillar stabbed into the Crown Prince Palace's rear garden.

It was one of the pillars of the destroyed King's Palace.

'How could something like this happen in the royal palace?'

The King's Palace was destroyed and the king had disappeared.

They were even uncertain as to whether the king was still alive.

Furthermore, the prime suspect is the heir to a ducal family and that ducal family was destroyed.

Most importantly, the royal family was powerless when all these things happened.

The kingdom that is said to be the strongest of the entire Western continent was powerless.

'It's like a nightmare.'

The attendant's body stiffened up from anxiety.

However, he could not stop walking. The gazes of the knights were scary.

"What is it?"

He pulled something out of his pocket as soon as he arrived at his destination and was questioned by a guard.

"This is food for his highness."

The knight slightly raised the cloth on top of the basket in the attendant's hand and nodded his head.

"Okay, you can give it to me. You may leave."

"Yes sir!"

The attendant promptly responded and quickly headed out of the crown prince palace.

'But why would his highness want something like this at a time like this?'

There was one thing the attendant questioned.

'Why did he suddenly order for us to bring up some cookies? Is he eating cookies instead of eating properly? I guess his highness really likes cookies.'

The attendant thought about another possibility as well.

"They said that the Commander-nim and Sir Choi Han headed to his highness's study. Is it possible that one of those two sirs really likes cookies?'

The attendant could not get an answer for all his curiosities.

As for crown prince Alberu Crossman, he was discussing new facts with the people who came to see him.

Crunch. Crunch.

The crown prince brushed his face with both hands as Raon chewed on a cookie Alberu gave him.

"So…"

He organized his thoughts and resumed speaking.

"This is Sui Khan and he is the reincarnation of Lee Soo Hyuk?"

"Correct."

The white-haired red eyed young boy responded softly yet in an informal manner. The crown prince observed the young boy who was extremely different from whom he had known while he was the Dark Tiger.

"You're oddly different from the Lee Soo Hyuk I saw."

"That existence and I are different people. In addition-"

Sui Khan's voice trailed off before he read Cale's gaze as Cale looked at him. He also noticed the crown prince's gaze of observation.

"In addition, I am still getting used to this."

"Getting used to it?"

"You could say that I, Lee Soo Hyuk, am being fused together with Sui Khan. Although my mind was going in and out, I have already lived for over 13 years as Sui Khan despite my mind going in and out. The habits and etiquettes that I have learned until now are properly fusing with me."

Alberu's eyes clouded over after hearing the word etiquette.

Cale, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

"Thirteen years old?"

Alberu looked at Sui Khan with an odd gaze. He knew that the flow of time was different in this world and the other world thanks to his time as the Dark Tiger, however…

'He's quite tall to be thirteen years old.'

Although Sui Khan was feeble, he was quite tall. 'Do Hawk beast people have a different growth speed than us?'

"…."

Sui Khan shrugged his shoulders instead of responding. He then added on.

"I'll hold off on the detailed explanation until next time. I don't really have any problems right now."

'Other than the issue in my family.'

Sui Khan held those words back to himself.

"This is the bigger issue right now after all."

The crown prince nodded his head.

He had wondered what the heck Cale Henituse had picked up this time after seeing him walking in with a black Hawk on his shoulder. A complicated incident seemed to have happened in the short period of time Cale was away from Alberu. However, that was not important to Alberu right now.

Although it was quiet right now, the information about the explosion at the King's Palace and the disappearance of the king would spread throughout the continent. Just working hard to not become sensitive was consuming a lot of Alberu's energy.

"Alright, let's organize this."

However, he was slowly filling up with energy right now.

It was because he could see a path.

"The events of today are related to the Hunters, I presume we can assume that the second child of the Flynn Merchant Guild and young lady Orsena are involved as well?"

"Yes, your highness."

Cale calmly answered back.

"Of course, the second child of the Flynn Merchant Guild and young lady Orsena's involvements are only likely possibilities without any clear evidence. We have no way of knowing whether the two of them are our enemies or anything."

"That's right. And youngest lady Orsena said that it was white magic that attacked the Duke's Estate?"

"Yes, your highness. Youngest lady Orsena is unable to wake up after making that statement."

Alberu's gaze headed toward Sui Khan.

"And although you don't know everything about the Hunters you remember to some degree?"

"And the God of Death bestowed a divine item that allows traveling between dimensions to Cale Henituse."

"The Hunters are an organization that travels across dimensions?"

"Yes."

Sui Khan stopped responding and lowered his head after feeling a sensation on the back of his hand. Raon had placed a cookie on it.

"Eat a lot, little Sui! You need to gain some weight!"

"Okay. Thanks Raon."

Sui Khan petted Raon's head and ate the cookie. Cale watched Sui eating that cookie with a slightly baffled expression on his face. But he soon started to speak.

"Now it is time that we hear the things we should know, team leader."

"Okay."

Sui took another cookie from Raon's hand before continuing to speak.

"There are a total of five families currently active within the Hunters organization. They are traveling across worlds and dimensions to hunt Single-lifers."

Choi Han looked at Sui Khan. Sui Khan was also looking at Choi Han.

"We are unable to know everything about them. However, we focused on one thing to dig deeper about. What do you think that one thing is?"

Choi Han responded.

"The power to travel across dimensions?"

The reason these individuals who are in different dimensions were able to create an organization and get stronger was because of their freedom to cross dimensions. Choi Han did not need to add an explanation.

Sui Khan nodded his head.

"Yea. That is correct. However, traveling across dimensions is not something regular living beings are capable of doing."

Traveling through dimensions was something that placed a heavy burden on the user to the point that even the gods struggled.

Alberu opened his mouth.

"Did you guys figure out the source of dimensional travel?"

"Yes."

Cale recalled a memory.

The Hunters he had met during the sealed god's illusion test…

'Take this offering of karma.'

One of the two Hunters killed her ally and made that comment before disappearing from that world.

"They use lives and blood as payment to dodge the imbalance and punishment created by dimensional travel."

Lives and blood.

Choi Han quietly mumbled as if memorizing it for himself.

"We currently believe that this is the power of a spell and device made by two of the Hunters' households."

"Where are those two families?"

Sui Kahn had a suspicious smile on his face after hearing Cale's question. Cale immediately asked.

"I guess it is not this world."

"Yeah. It is a different world."

Sui Khan opened up two fingers.

"The lives and blood that are the cost… The world where white mages use the first of these costs, the death of a living being, as collateral for spells… It is best to go to this world first if you are planning on going to another dimension."

White mages.

Alberu, Choi Han, Cale, and Raon's eyes clouded over after hearing those words. It seemed most likely to be related to the incidents at hand right now.

"And the second cost, blood. A world where a church of blood that worships blood is located."

'Hmm?'

Cale's eyes opened wide for a moment.

"…A church of blood?"

Those words sounded familiar to him.

The man who had read novels for many years nonchalantly commented.

There was something that came to mind when he heard the church of blood.

"…Blood Demon?"

"That's right. The Blood Demon is the leader of the Church of Blood. You know so well, Cale."

Cale blinked a few times before saying something else.

"…The Central Plains?"

"Yes. They are there. Of course, the Church of Blood is hidden so we were unable to find the exact location."

Sui Khan shrugged his shoulders.

"Cale, you said that you read a lot of wuxia novels, right? Of course, they are probably quite different from the Central Plains and Church of Blood in those wuxia novels."

"…Ho."

Cale buried his body into a couch and gasped.

'Central Plains? Blood Demon?

How does this make any sense?

No. Why would a wuxia world not exist when there is a fantasy world and even a world where monsters appear in modern day earth?

It would make no sense if something like that didn't exist.'

Raon handed Cale a cookie and chimed in after seeing Cale sighing without doing anything else.

"Human, where is the Central Plains? Will we be able to smack the Hunters in the back if we go there? Let's go to the first place first! I'm very angry right now!"

Cale silently closed his eyes.

All he could see was darkness.

However, he soon opened his eyes and responded to Raon.

Wherever the Hunters may be, first of all…

"We need to smack them in the back."

He could see the pillar of the destroyed King's Palace through the window behind the crown prince's shoulder.

---

"But we need to argue about things that need to be argued about."

Cale's stoic gaze turned toward Sui Khan.

"Team leader, the God of Death isn't expecting just the few of us to take care of everything, is he?"

The Hunters had created an organization they called 'Household.'

Cale could now get a better sense of the size of that organization because of the term, 'Church of Blood.'

Wuxia.

There are always the good faction, the evil faction, and the Church of Demons in these novels. Aside from those, the North Sea Ice Palace and the Church of Blood.

'I'll need to go to figure out the Church of Blood in that world, but it is one of the major forces.'

It was not just an organization but a major force.

It was possible that they would be more powerful and more insidious than the White Star's Arm.

No, it was highly likely.

'He wants us to take care of something like that on our own?

I know we have Dragons, Choi Han, and our other friends, but…'

If that was the case…

'A lot of our people will get hurt.'

His friends getting seriously injured to capture the Hunters? Them being put in danger?

This basically gave Cale the biggest reason not to accept the divine item from the God of Death.

Cale's gaze was now too sharp for a gaze directed at his team leader he had met again for the first time in a long while.

Sui Khan responded in an oddly slow voice.

"Cale, I know that the God of Death has no shame. But would I inform you about such a god?"

"Human! I agree that the God of Death has no shame but Sui Khan doesn't seem like that."

Choi Han slightly nodded his head as if to show agreement to Raon's comment.

Sui Khan chuckled and continued to speak.

"The worlds with the Hunter households all have different situations, but, based on what I know, there are at least some helpers and organizations to support us in each world."

"Are they organizations that are against the Hunters?"

"Some are like that but others have either made deals with the God of Death or follow him."

Sui Khan looked up at the air.

"A wanderer went to the world with the Church of Blood to create a base."

Wanderers.

This was a path that a single-lifer could take after death as they could not reincarnate.

They could either work toward becoming a god or wander like a mercenary.

Choi Jung Gun, the first Dragon Slayer and Choi Han and Choi Jung Soo's ancestor, was a wanderer.

Cale thought that team leader Lee Soo Hyuk seemed odd and naturally commented.

"Did Choi Jung Soo go to do that?"

"…Yeah."

Choi Jung Soo was a single-lifer.

He too chose the path of a wanderer.

"We should be able to meet Choi Jung Soo there if things go well."

Sui Khan was talking to Cale but his eyes were looking at Choi Han. Choi Han had his head down and was looking at his hands since the moment Cale mentioned Choi Jung Soo.

Sui Khan quietly observed him before turning to look at Cale.

He then started to smile.

"Apparently there are Five Great Saints and Five Great Demons in that world."

Cale wondered why the team leader was suddenly talking about this before thinking about the team leader's personality and asking in a baffled voice.

'No way, right?'

"Is Choi Jung Soo one of them?"

"Yes."

Sui Khan sounded a bit mischievous, as if he was trying to calm this heavy mood. Choi Han raised his head a bit and commented.

"He must be one of the Five Great Saints."

"No."

Sui Khan sternly shook his head.

"He's the Sword Demon."

"…Excuse me?"

Choi Han asked back and Sui Khan continued as if he found it to be funny.

"Apparently he earned the title by pummeling the contemporary Sword Saint."

'Aigoo, my head.'

Cale brushed his hair back.

It was obvious that Choi Jung Soo would have been laughing and causing all sorts of incidents without thinking much about it. He even wondered if Choi Jung Soo really was a descendant from Choi Han's family as he frequently caused all sorts of incidents and had a personality where he didn't look back at what he had done.

"What kind of incidents did he go around causing?"

"I don't know the details either."

Sui Khan calmly commented.

"If things go well, you should be able to ask him in person?"

They might be able to meet Choi Jung Soo.

Those words made Cale silent for a moment. Choi Han was also silent.

Someone else, who had been organizing his thoughts, used this moment of silence to speak.

It was Alberu.

"Either way, Sui Khan, you said that we would most likely go to the world with the white mages first if we have to go to different dimensions, right?"

"That's right."

Alberu had no idea what the Central Plains, wuxia, and Blood Demon were, so he decided to ask about the next step for now.

"Then what kind of world is the one with the white mages?"

The white magic associated with the Duke's House of Orsena…

It might even be connected to the destruction of the King's Palace as well.

'Beyond that, the Hunters are now a real threat to the Roan Kingdom.'

This threat might spread throughout the Eastern and Western continents as well. It was normal to expect that people who messed with a King's Palace and a ducal house would be capable of doing even more.

That was why someone in Alberu's position needed to first learn about such a place in order to make plans for the future.

This question made Sui Khan silent for the first time.

The silence made everybody look at him.

Sui Khan started to speak just after the mood sank.

"That is a ruined world."

'What?'

Cale looked at his reincarnated team leader in shock.

Alberu spoke with a stiff expression on his face.

"…What do you mean by that?"

"Dead mana covers over 80 percent of the land there and creatures can only live in 20 percent of the world."

Alberu tried to imagine that in his mind.

A world covered in dead mana.

Most living beings in this world would either die or be seriously poisoned if they came in contact with dead mana.

"…Is the dead mana there different from the dead mana here?"

"No. It is the same. Dead mana is a critical poison to regular living beings."

Alberu was visible in Sui Khan's red eyes. Alberu thought that his eyes resembled blood. The blood-like eyes were looking right at Alberu.

"People who can handle dead mana rule that world. The Dark Elves and black mages are the nobles."

Unlike this world where Dark Elves and other darkness attribute races were slowly starting to get accepted starting from the Roan Kingdom, they were the ones in power in that world.

"Ah."

Sui Khan turned to look at Cale as if he remembered something.

"For reference, the Emperor of the strongest Empire in that world must have a certain ability. They will only earn the qualification to challenge for the position of imperial crown prince by having that ability."

Crunch.

Sui Khan ate the cookie in his hand before continuing to speak.

"They have a title for the Emperor of that place."

Cale looked into Sui Khan's red eyes and Sui Khan looked back at him.

"The Emperor of the Dead."

The dead.

The silent Choi Han subconsciously commented after hearing that word.

"Necromancer."

That word made all of them think of one person.

The necromancer, Mary.

Sui Khan calmly agreed with Choi Han.

"Yes, only those with the power of a necromancer will earn the title of heir in that place. It doesn't matter whether they are from the main family or a collateral line."

Sui Khan shrugged his shoulders.

"It's completely different from this world, isn't it?"

"Haaa."

Cale sighed and buried his body into the couch.

'A wuxia world and a world covered in dead mana…'

"Wow."

'Fuck.'

Cale swore internally and looked forward before making eye contact with Alberu.

Alberu spoke with a stiff expression on his face.

"I cannot go. I can't leave the palace right now with the king gone."

'Who asked?'

Cale silently looked at Alberu, who said all of that despite Cale not asking him to go.

Alberu felt guilty after seeing that indifferent gaze.

'…It won't be easy.'

The world they may have to go first was a world covered in dead mana. A ruined world was a perfect description of it.

Alberu was close to dead mana because he had some Dark Elf blood in him, but regular crops could not grow in a land covered in dead mana. That fact alone was enough to know that the ecosystem was not normal in that world.

Alberu looked into Cale's transparent eyes and ended up speaking again.

"…Do you… Need me to go too?"

The palace and his friends…

Alberu's voice was hesitant unlike his usual self as he was contemplating between two very important things to him.

"…No…?"

Cale's baffled response made Alberu look baffled as well.

"What are we going to do about the Roan Kingdom if you go, your highness?"

"…Yes."

Alberu became oddly silent while Cale still looked at him with a baffled look before turning to look at Sui Khan.

"But team leader. There is one thing that is making me uncomfortable."

"What is it?"

"You said that the Hunters use life and blood as the cost to travel through dimensions. Then what about us?"

Choi Han and Alberu's gazes turned vicious after hearing Cale's question.

"Team leader, do we need to pay such a cost too?"

Raon sternly shouted at that moment.

"I don't want to! Why should we have to pay the cost?! That does not add up!"

It was as if he could not accept that at all. He sounded extremely firm.

"No matter whether they are a god or not, the calculations have to be thorough!"

Raon was so stern that even Choi Han and Alberu were shocked.

"That's right."

Cale nodded his head as if this was the obvious response. He then patted Raon's sleek back with a satisfied look on his face.

Raon smiled brightly and rubbed his face on Cale's knees.

"My my, so similar."

Sui Khan watched this with an extremely satisfied look on his face as well and quietly mumbled. Alberu thought that this look of satisfaction on Sui Khan's face did not suit his appearance at all, but decided to focus on what would be said.

"The gods do not handle the cost."

At that moment…

Boom!

Raon slammed on the table with his front paw.

"This damn scammer of a god!"

"Of course, we won't have to pay for it either."

Raon quietly picked up a cookie and ate it.

Cale pushed the cookie basket toward Raon and asked.

"Then who will pay the cost?"

This world and these potential dimensions that he saw always had some kind of restrictions in the name of 'laws' and required a cost or balance.

That was why he did not believe that there would be no cost.

Furthermore, he needed to make sure that this cost would not harm them in any way in the future. If it would, he would rather find a different method.

"The world will handle the cost."

"…What do you mean by that?"

Choi Han asked and Sui Khan responded.

"The world that we are trying to travel to will handle the cost."

'Mm.'

Sui Khan debated how to explain it for a bit before finally speaking.

"Here's an example to make it easy. The Hunter household in the world with the white mages is called the 'Black Blood.'

A new Hunter household after the Red Blood and the White Blood…

The Black Blood.

"The world with the Black Blood desperately wants it."

The world wanted something.

"It desperately wants the complete annihilation of the Hunters."

It wanted for an existence to disappear.

"…Why?"

"For that world to survive."

"Mm."

Choi Han, who asked that question, groaned while Sui Khan calmly commented.

"The Hunters made that world like that."

Alberu's face instantly stiffened.

A world was almost completely covered in dead mana.

It wasn't the entire Hunters Organization but just one household that made it like that?

'Holy crap.'

Alberu had to hold himself from swearing.

Sui Khan just continued to speak.

"Of course, we don't need to travel through dimensions to completely destroy all Hunters. We just need to help that world out, and the world that we help will deal with fixing the twist in the balance."

"Do the other worlds all want for the annihilation of the Hunters?"

Sui Khan shook his head at Choi Han, who asked in a slightly sunken voice.

"Not necessarily. All worlds have different desires. However, you can say that we have some level of agreement related to the Hunters."

Cale, who had been deep in thought, opened his mouth.

"That world-"

"The world with the white mages is called the Xiaolen Planet.

"I see. Are there helpers on the Xiaolen Planet as well?'

"Yeah. I haven't met them before, but I have heard that there are some."

Sui Khan looked at Cale with a slightly odd gaze. Cale had an odd gaze as well as he knew the team leader did not make such a face very often. He asked back.

"What is it? Is there something odd?"

"…There are believers of the Fire of Purification in that world. They are our helpers."

'Fire of Purification?'

Cale looked at Sui Khan as he was confused about what the problem was. Raon patted Cale's knee at that moment.

"Human! It's similar to your power! You can purify the dead mana with your fiery thunderbolts!"

"…Huh?"

Sui Khan shrugged his shoulders as Cale let out a confused sound.

"Isn't it odd? I'm suspicious about that as well, but they shouldn't be bad since they are our helpers."

"Do you not know anything more?"

"No. The God of Death didn't tell me."

"Mm."

Cale debated for a moment before looking into the air and then at Alberu.

Tap. Tap. His index finger tapped on the armrest of the couch.

Alberu scowled at Cale for looking at him while disrespectfully tapping the armrest.

"What's wrong?"

'I have a bad feeling about this.'

Alberu did not say that part out loud.

"Your highness."

Cale gently smiled at him.

"Does the Church of the God of Death have any weaknesses?"

"Ah."

Alberu calmly nodded his head.

"They do. You want the divine item?"

"Yes, your highness. I do believe I will have to take the divine item."

But Cale would do it in a way that was beneficial to him.

It was highly likely that the divine item would be used frequently while dealing with the Hunters. However, it would be bad if the temple tried to interfere in any way or request explanations from him.

'Although it did look as if the bishop would be easy to talk to.'

However, it was good to have as many weapons in your arsenal for any conversation or negotiations.

Cale continued to speak to Alberu.

"And it would be good for the kingdom for people to know that I received the divine item, right?"

The Battle at Puzzle City…

Although they were victorious, Puzzle City was basically ruined.

Then the King's Palace was destroyed, the king was missing, and a Duke's Estate burned down.

The death of the Flynn Merchant Guild's leader would soon be revealed as well.

Foreign kingdoms that don't know the details might welcome the fact that peace was returned to the continent along with unfavorable conditions for the Roan Kingdom.

However, the people of the Roan Kingdom would only be full of fear and uncertainty.

'A divine item is being given to the Commander of the Roan Kingdom at such a time?'

Cale Henituse would be receiving an item from a god.

Alberu thought that this could be a precious source of hope for the people of the Roan Kingdom right now.

'He hates being talked about but is always willing to turn a blind eye at times like this.'

Alberu, who could tell what Cale was thinking despite looking stoic, spoke extremely lightly in a voice full of gratitude.

"I will give you all of the information about the Church of the God of Death. Their weaknesses are there as well."

"That sounds great, your highness."

Cale addressed the group.

"Let's go meet with the bishop immediately."

It was better to take care of things quickly since they had set the direction of their course.

---

Late at night not long before midnight…

There was a place giving off an even brighter light than the day. It was the Temple of the God of Death.

"I didn't expect you to come so quickly, Commander-nim."

The bishop looked calm but a thrill, sense of anticipation, anxiety, and other emotions were swirling inside his head.

Cale gently smiled at him.

'He's a decent person.'

The bishop in front of Cale seemed like a decent person based on the information crown prince Alberu had given him.

'Although he seeks power and fame… He is someone who properly completes his duties and maintains his foundation as a priest.'

The comments about the bishop were average.

Someone who finds rules to be extremely important but looks at his personal benefits to be more important. However, he does have piety.

Even someone who did not have any greed for power nor fame would start to have some once they rose to the position of running a kingdom's church.

The bishop in front of him had a balance of a decent level of piety against any greed for power and a decent level of goodness against his own desires.

"Bishop-nim."

"Yes, Commander-nim?"

The bishop's heart was beating quickly while looking at Cale, who had stealthily come to see him late in the night.

'It's obvious.'

The bishop could basically make out the relationship between Cale and the royal family, no, between Cale and the crown prince.

The information he gathered today helped him realize that the damage to the Royal Palace and the Duke's Estate was much greater than he had thought. No matter how hard they tried to keep quiet about it, this information will be sent throughout the kingdom and to both the Eastern and Western continents.

It was a misfortune that fell upon a kingdom that was seen as a future strong power.

'I'm certain that he will want to use the divine item to suppress the anxiety about the current situation and divert people's attention.'

That would be why the crown prince, whose reaction had not been so positive when they met, sent the Commander so easily to the temple.

'Either that, or this intelligent Commander personally stepped in to change the mood.'

The temple and the royal family… Cale and the bishop…

The fact that the two sides had some common ground in their thought process… The bishop could tell that was the case.

That was the reason he was waiting with anticipation as to what Cale would say.

It was a deal.

He wanted the upper hand in the deal.

"Bishop-nim, I will lay it all out for you."

The bishop easily held the corners of his lips from rising up.

'Lay it all out.'

What did that mean?

It was a shortcut to making a deal.

The bishop waited for Cale to speak and Cale responded immediately as if to meet his expectations.

Plop.

He pulled a black book out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

"I have already been hearing the words of the god."

"…Excuse me?"

The bishop became anxious.

"The god has requested a conversation and I have chatted with him as well."

"…."

The bishop was shocked, but did not react so stupidly again. He used his numerous years of experience to put on his poker face.

However, Cale had already seen the clueless look on his face.

Chh.

Cale reached his hand and slowly turned the pages of the black book.

"How do you think that I came so quickly from Puzzle City to the capital? Especially when my body is in such terrible condition?"

Chh. Chh.

The pages turned.

The bishop's gaze moved to the black book.

"…Huh?"

A clueless voice came out of his mouth once again.

"This is-"

He could not continue to speak.

This black book… He could feel something from it despite not thoroughly inspecting it.

The position of bishop was not something you could gain from political influence alone. Well, there were some people who did, but he was someone who could at least recognize this item.

Chh. Chh.

Cale had shown this book to Raon before coming here.

'Can you see it?'

'Yeah! Human, I can see these words too!'

The finger that had been flipping the pages stopped.

The bishop's eyes stopped on some words on a page.

Huiss City

"The god spoke of Huiss City, the Roan Kingdom's capital, and I came."

Cale had come to Huiss City and then the God of Death had written Huiss City in the black book. All these words did was to reveal Lee Soo Hyuk, or Sui Khan's location.

Of course, Cale simply changed the order of things to his benefit.

"Please, take a closer look."

Cale pushed the black book toward the bishop.

The bishop looked down at the black book without even being able to place his hand on the table.

A priest who was bestowed a small amount of healing power became a bishop and his healing powers still remained.

'This is definitely the power of our lord.'

The aura flowing out of this black book was definitely that of their god. So much aura of death was flowing out of it that he didn't even dare to touch it.

The bishop's eyes started to shake.

'Already-'

The Commander already had a connection to their god.

"Bishop-nim, I knew that the divine item had appeared even before I met you, and I am already aware of what it is and how to use it."

Lee Soo Hyuk had told Cale about the item right before he met the bishop and had shared more about how to use it just before Cale came here.

Either way, Cale did speak the truth.

'…Did our lord tell him about it?'

The bishop recalled Cale saying that he had chatted with their god and gulped. However, the inside of his mouth was dry.

'This-'

This was the real deal, something greater than power or politics.

'Yes, it is obvious if I think about it.'

A god had given a divine item and a Divine Oracle while directing it to a single person.

"Bishop-nim."

He heard a gentle voice. The bishop looked away from the book and at Cale.

Cale's voice was gentle but his gaze was cold, similar to death.

This person who had connected with their god looked at the bishop without an ounce of warmth in his eyes and spoke.

"Do not use it."

The bishop felt his heart sink.

He thought about every way he tried to use this divine item from the moment it appeared in a temple under his management.

The person who had connected with their god was saying that he knew all about the bishop's inner thoughts and to not do it.

The bishop raised his head at what he heard next.

"It will all naturally happen even if you don't do that."

The bishop's face reflected in Cale's dark brown eyes.

The bishop's focus was not on the Commander's gentle voice, but rather his cold gaze.

"Bishop-nim, whether death is fancy, sacred, or pitiful… Death will approach us no matter what and is always by our side."

The bishop couldn't avoid Cale's gaze that was looking right at him.

"That is why we fear it even if nobody talks about it."

'Mm.'

The bishop gulped.

Something we fear even if nobody talks about it.

Those words echoed in his mind.

"It seems as if the temple wants to have a grand ceremony to bestow the divine item."

The bishop quickly tried to respond to Cale. He had a feeling that he needed to say that it was a misunderstanding. Cale seemed to be getting bigger in front of him and was giving off the aura of someone great.

"That-"

"It's not bad. Such a ceremony that is."

The bishop sighed in relief at Cale's comment. Cale continued to speak while using the Dominating Aura.

"However, I do not think that this is the time for that right now. Please only quietly inform the Vatican. Then the news will spread on its own."

"That was my plan, sir. The kingdom's situation is not so good right now."

"That is correct, Bishop-nim. In return…"

The gentle smile disappeared from Cale's face.

The bishop felt even greater pressure from Cale. This was something he had not even felt from the Pope.

He had thought that he could be in the Pope's position when looking at the Pope, but this existence in front of him right now was something he could not even fathom, something he thought that he couldn't even think about reaching.

The bishop heard a cold voice.

"In return, please inform the Vatican of the following. Tell them not to go through any useless procedures for the divine item."

The bishop clenched his eyes shut.

The Vatican was not the type to not do useless procedures because they were told not to do so.

They would try to do something with the divine item and Cale the more the bishop tried not to do anything.

He heard a relaxed voice at that moment.

"This divine item is mine, is it not?"

This divine item could not be said to belong to the temple as it was bestowed only on Cale Henituse.

He was right about it being his.

It was his if they looked past the benefits of the temple and followed the will of their god.

'I don't think that the Pope will see it that way.'

The moment that thought was visible in the bishop's eyes…

"Bishop-nim."

Cale called out to him.

"I only want to work through you, bishop-nim."

"Ah."

Cale smiled and continued to speak as the bishop gasped.

"Then you should be able to earn everything you can earn even without using it, right?"

The bishop finally understood the feeling he got about Cale earlier.

The gentle voice and cold gaze…

'The Commander is similar to me. He also knows all of my inner thoughts. He is at a higher level than me.'

The bishop's face relaxed the moment he realized that.

"Commander-nim, there will be no instances of you being used."

A gentle voice came out of the bishop's mouth and Cale nodded his head.

There was only one thing you needed to show a person like the bishop.

'I am like you but I am at a higher level.'

The bishop looked at Cale, who could tell all of his inner thoughts, and answered honestly.

"However, I will use the situation."

Cale spoke again in a gentle voice.

"The god spoke to me."

The bishop sat up straight. He had never sat up so straight even in front of the Pope.

However, this was something someone who had spoken to their god and brought another divine item, potentially the lost divine item of the church, was saying.

No matter how greedy he was for power, he was a priest at the core.

The bishop, who believed that his desire to raise the Church of the God of Death to a higher level was because of his piety, waited for Cale to speak.

The words of their god reached the bishop's ears.

"The path you are walking is the path."

Of course, the God of Death never said anything like that to Cale.

"So walk that path without any hesitation."

He also never said that.

However, Cale wasn't worried about that.

'Didn't he bestow the divine item so that I can do as I please?'

In addition, although he knew it wasn't the God of Death's fault, the fact that he seemed to be doing things similar to what the God of Death wanted made Cale want to thoroughly use the God of Death.

'What the hell is that fool going to do about it?'

The God of Death apparently turned into 'that fool' in Cale's mind.

The bishop realized something from the message Cale just delivered.

'Something else is going to happen. The name of this Commander is going to rise even higher.'

The bishop was now full of anticipation.

One was anticipation at the fact that his own authority would rise the more Cale's name rose.

The other was…

'I'm curious.'

Not as the bishop, but as a priest of the God of Death, he was full of anticipation to see how bright the future of someone who has connected with their god would be.

It was possible that he was with someone who would be recorded in the history of the church.

"There will be nothing that hinders your path, Commander-nim."

The bishop was saying that he would make it so that neither he nor anybody within the church would get in Cale's way.

"That sounds great."

A relaxed smile appeared on Cale's face. It was the same for the bishop.

"But Commander-nim."

"Yes, Bishop-nim?"

"Are you perhaps the Sa-"

"No, Bishop-nim."

Cale sternly shook his head.

"I am not the Saint. I have neither healing powers nor devotion. I can only hear the god's voice every so often."

'…Isn't that what a Saint can do? You seem like an even greater Saint than most Saints. Doesn't that make you a prophet?'

The bishop had a lot of things he wanted to say but held himself back because Cale was coming off extremely stern.

'I'm sure I'll find out eventually.'

Of course, it was basically an established fact in his mind.

"Then may I go look at the divine item?"

"Yes, of course. It is secured on the altar as we could not touch it."

The bishop immediately escorted Cale to where the divine item was secured.

There wasn't a single person along the way. It was because the bishop had everybody empty out in advance.

– Human, there are people here and there!

Of course, there were hidden individuals on guard.

'He's good.'

Cale decided that he would thoroughly use this bishop, who seemed skilled at stealthily taking care of things, as he headed toward the center of the temple.

In an open white area…

There was an altar in the center of this area that seemed warm rather than holy or cold.

"Right here, sir."

The bishop pointed to the top of the altar.

"Here is the divine item and the parchment with the Divine Oracle."

Of the two pages of the parchment, Cale's eyes landed on the first phrase of the one written in Korean.

Cale Henituse, look at this.

'Haaaaa.'

Cale held back a sigh and ignored the parchment.

He turned his gaze toward the divine item instead.

"We tried to investigate it and find out its use while determining if it was dangerous, but… We couldn't even touch it…"

The bishop's voice trailed off.

A strong aura of death would appear whenever they tried to touch the divine item. They could not touch it because they were scared that they would die.

"…Commander-nim!"

The bishop called out to Cale in shock but Cale already had the divine item in his hand.

– Human, what is this mirror? It looks… a bit overly splendid.

Cale thought to himself while ignoring the invisible Raon's comments.

'What a funny god.'

Cale's hand moved. He knew how to use it as soon as he held the divine item in his hand.

Paat.

"My goodness, a light coming from the divine item!"

The bishop was unable to hide his shock and looked at Cale as if he was looking at a marvelous existence.

"You know how to use it, sir."

'Of course.'

"…I feel like I've always known how to use it."

"As I expected."

Cale looked at the divine item in his hand.

'It's a mirror.'

It was a mirror with an extremely fancy handle decorated in gold.

'He gave me something that looks like this on purpose. This damn bastard of a god.'

Cale's thoughts about this god were getting worse and worse.

"Oh oh, something is appearing! I don't know this language though-"

The mirror did not reflect Cale's face. The bishop knew that it was a divine item because it mysteriously did not reflect anything.

That divine item glowed as soon as Cale touched it and something was now appearing on it.

Cale knew of an item that had a similar appearance to this.

'It looks like a laptop or a tablet.'

An image that was similar to those appeared.

The wallpaper was some desolate black ground. Red lava was flowing through it.

Cale saw the only notification that was on the screen.

"I can read it."

That mysterious language was Korean.

"My goodness."

The bishop mumbled extremely quietly and could not hide his astonishment and admiration toward Cale.

Cale read the notification.

Invitation for Dimension Travel

There was an envelope-shaped icon and some writing underneath it.

The Xiaolen World has sent an invitation. Xiaolen is a place with a long history... [See more details]

Will you read the invitation?

There was something else at the bottom.

PS. I heard from the God of Death. I heard that you like money? I will also give you money. How about a mine?

'…Looks like I might be able to get along with this world?'

---

One corner of Cale's lips twisted up. Someone caught that faint smile that was barely visible.

'What could it be saying that he-'

It was the bishop.

However, he did not dare to speak to Cale right now.

The Commander's sparkling gaze… He saw a passion fitting for the Commander's age for the first time. The Commander's face had been cold and tired until now.

'This guy truly is the Saint. His face changed so much after hearing the words of our god.'

Although the bishop desired to be the next Pope, as someone who felt pride in being a priest… He couldn't help but look back at his current position.

– Human, the bishop's expression is a bit weird. He seems, he seems a bit like Clopeh!

Raon was giving him some very important information, but Cale brushed it off.

His finger moved.

See more details

His finger touched a spot on the mirror.

Xiaolen is a planet with a long history. Although Xiaolen 2 and Xiaolen 3 do exist, it is certainly a world that cannot be replaced.

Xiaolen was originally a treasure trove from heaven, filled with fertile lands and numerous mines with practically endless value.

However, because of that rotten Black Blood that is so rotten that ripping them to shreds wouldn't be enough, crushing them into pieces wouldn't be enough, and even stomping their bones into tiny little pieces wouldn't be enough...

Cale flinched for a moment while reading the information in the invitation.

He read the informative note in a corner of the invitation.

The invitation was personally manufactured by the world with no alterations at all. - God of Death

Cale realized it.

'…This world really hates the Black Blood.'

There were more notes.

Xiaolen 1 had a lot of pride for its fertile lands, beautiful natural landscape, and numerous natural resources. - God of Death

For reference, although they had a lot of mines with jewels, they were famous for having a lot of magic stones mines. It is the world with the most magic stones mines. - God of Death

"Mm."

Cale nodded his head at the useful information.

The bishop quietly gasped at Cale's serious demeanor and the way Cale read through this language that he did not understand without any issue.

The invisible Raon was looking back and forth between Cale and the divine item, and then the bishop, who had his hands clasped together, and could not release that look of iffiness from his face.

Its abilities have been lost because approximately 81.29% of the world has been covered in dead mana. It would not have mattered if this world was born as a world for the dead, but this is clearly a world for the living. Because of these damn Black Bloods that deserved to be ripped to shreds...

Cale thoroughly read through the three pages of the A4-sized invitation that cursed out the Black Bloods and shared information about the world's current condition.

"Hmm."

There was something at the bottom of the invitation.

Will you accept the invitation from the world?

There was a more detailed postscript than the one he saw earlier.

PS 1. I am not as cheap as the God of Death. I am also not a world that focuses on balance like the world you live in.

PS 2. If you accept the invitation you will get 1 mine. If you severely damage those Black Blood bastards, you will get an extra mine. If you help with the purification as well, I will give you either another mine or a treasure.

PS 3. I am a generous world who does not believe in low-value gifts.

The restrictions were listed under the postscript.

Restrictions regarding the Xiaolen World's Invitation

Maximum party number of 10

Dimension traveling is only possible within a temple of the God of Death. These are the agreed-upon terms between worlds.

"Mm."

The mirror's screen turned off.

Cale looked down at the mirror that was not showing anything and fell deep into thought.

"Commander-nim?"

"Ah, Bishop-nim."

Cale had been so focused on the contents of the invitation that he had forgotten about the bishop.

"May I ask what the divine item can do?"

Cale thought that it would be more useful to tell him at least some of it and casually responded to the extremely cautiously asked question.

"This divine item is for getting an invitation to visit a world in a different dimension, mm, and granting a wish of that world."

"…."

Cale thought that his explanation was not enough as the bishop remained silent and continued to speak with his gaze still fixated on the divine item.

"For example, the current situation is to visit a world that is close to ruin and to stop the source causing it. I believe it will continue like this from here on."

Cale turned his head.

"Do you need any more explanation?"

"…."

The bishop had a blank look on his face.

"…Bishop-nim?"

"…Yes. Commander-nim. I do not need any more explanation."

The bishop realized it the moment he heard about the divine item.

The moment he heard these unfathomable words such as different dimensions and different worlds…

'The path that the Commander will walk from here on will be to save all of the dimensions. How could such a thing-'

He was at a loss for words.

'Something like the position of Pope isn't an issue at all.'

The Pope was an extremely trivial position when thinking about all of the dimensions in the universe.

"Commander-nim."

"Yes, Bishop-nim?"

"I will devote myself to assist you with your work."

Cale nodded his head thinking that it was a good idea to explain thoroughly.

"I will trust you to explain it to the Vatican then."

"Of course. I will take care of everything and make sure that you do not need to waste any of your time."

"Thank you very much, Bishop-nim. You don't need to be as detailed with them as I was with you. Please just keep it at the appropriate level."

"Yes, sir. You have nothing to worry about."

"…Okay, Bishop-nim. I am not worried about it at all."

Cale was slightly uncomfortable at how the bishop had suddenly become so solemn, but he turned away as the bishop's expression was not an important issue right now.

"I will take the divine item with me."

"Yes, sir. Please feel free to take whatever you want."

'Hmm?'

Cale felt as if he heard something weird but chose to continue speaking for now.

"Going to different dimensions is only possible within the temple. I want to only use this place, the Huiss City Temple of the God of Death."

"Yes, sir. Please feel free to go wild and use it however you please."

"…I don't have any plans of doing something like that. However, I want to move extremely quietly without anybody knowing, so please make it so that people will not be able to see it."

The bishop knew that if he was in Cale's position, he would be shouting throughout the continents that he was going to different dimensions at the will of a god. He would be telling people to praise him. He would want everybody to know. However, the young man in front of him seemed to be extremely wary of that.

The bishop responded with sincerity.

"I will prepare it thoroughly as you wish, Commander-nim."

"…Thank you very much. I will contact you as soon as we have a schedule."

"Yes, sir."

Cale found the bishop's overly receptive demeanor to be odd. However, he didn't care since the bishop agreed to do as he wanted.

Cale gathered the divine item, got on a carriage to the Royal Palace with the invisible Raon, and left the temple.

Only the bishop and a few others knew about Cale's visit.

However, the Vatican, which knew about the existence of the divine item, was extremely sensitive after this visit.

– Bishop. What are you saying right now?

"Exactly what I mentioned, Your Holiness."

The bishop was speaking through a video communication device to the Pope, the highest ranking Holy Knight of the Church's Order of Justice, and the three bishops who were said to be candidates to be the next Pope.

"Our lord has given a mission to the sir who will save the whole world and we must not hinder his path."

– …Bishop. Did you say the whole world just now?

– Bishop-nim. Is it truly the appearance of our Saint?

"Saint…"

The bishop thought about Cale and chuckled.

"I don't think that is enough to describe him."

– …Bishop. Report the entire situation.

"I will listen to the words of our lord first and then contact you again, your Holiness."

He was saying that he would take some actions first before reporting to them.

– What do you mean-!

Click.

The bishop hung up while watching one of the bishops start to shout in anger.

Tap. Tap.

He tapped on the table and smiled.

"I need to do at least this much so that they won't mess with him in the future."

For his god.

For the Saint who will save the world.

And a little bit for his own authority.

The bishop decided to charge forward.

He could do this because he was the only person in charge of a temple who had a connection with the owner of a divine item. He would be the one with the advantage as time went on.

"Hmm. He wanted me to inform them quietly, right?"

The Commander definitely didn't tell him to keep it a secret. He said to inform them quietly.

Basically, the Commander wanted him to let them know at an appropriate level, without making a fuss about it.

At least that was how the bishop understood it.

"I'm very good at that."

Something like this was easy for someone like him, who was born an orphan and made it to the position of bishop with only a small amount of healing power.

12 am.

Now that it was midnight, the bishop used the stealthiness of the night to gently spread the appearance of the divine item and its sole owner.

"Cale-nim, then only a maximum of ten people can go?"

"Yes."

They were in the crown prince's bedroom despite the crown prince not being here.

Cale, who had taken over this place, looked at Sui Khan's empty seat before looking away. Raon was glaring at him while holding a video communication device in his arms.

"Human, I'm going! You can't go without us!"

Cale scowled.

"We are going too! You're going to fall left and right if we are not watching you! You feeble human!"

The 'we' that Raon was talking about were On, Hong, and Raon, the children averaging nine-years-old.

Choi Han warily peeked at Cale before speaking to Raon.

"But it'll be dangerous because the place is covered in dead mana."

"Choi Han, we've experienced dead mana many times too! We can handle it better than the noobs!"

Choi Han stopped for a moment after hearing Raon sound extremely serious. Raon used that opening to say exactly what On had said.

Cale heard Raon repeat what On had just calmly said through the video communication device.

"And Choi Han, there will be a lot of large-scale battles when going up against the Hunters Organization. It will be useful to have me there since I am skilled at magic. I can control mana even if it is in a different dimension. It is because I'm the only one who experienced the mana of the white magic world earlier and confirmed."

Choi Han's jaw dropped.

"Furthermore, dead mana is different from poison, so poisonous fog is still a stealthy way to attack a large number of enemies when going up against organizations with the darkness attribute. It is an intelligent solution that does not require swords being pulled out nor spells being cast to gather the enemies' attention."

Cale added on to Raon's statement.

"…That is what On said."

Choi Han realized that this was not Raon's stubbornness but On's stubbornness and did not say anything.

On, who cherished Raon and Hong more than anybody else, was saying that she would go with Cale. This meant that On assessed the situation and believed it was okay to go with him.

"And I will be with good girl Mary."

If Mary, who was basically the best in this world right now in terms of handling dead mana, was going with On, Hong, and Raon…

Choi Han's mind turned into a complicated mess.

"Anyway, just know that that is how it will be! You can't even teleport without me, human!"

Raon took the video communication device and quickly flew out the crown prince's bedroom window. It was a gesture to show that he had made his demand and was going to run before Cale could say otherwise.

"Not only can I not teleport without you, but I also cannot use a video communication device."

Raon flinched.

Cale spoke in an indifferent voice.

"Connect the video communication device for now. I have many places to call."

"…I understand. Anyway, we are going."

Raon pouted as he connected the video communication device.

– Young master-nim.

"Long time no see, Mary."

Cale contacted his friends, starting with Mary.

Well, there was one individual he wouldn't necessarily call a friend.

– It's been a while.

"It has."

Duke Fredo.

The Vampire Chief who was trying his best to make something of the awkward situation at Endable right now. He was chatting with Cale via a video communication device for the first time in a long while.

– …A different dimension. You truly live a complicated life.

"Do you have some time?"

Duke Fredo sighed at the question that came out of nowhere.

– …Huuuuuu. I'll send you a smart punk.

"Solena?" (TL: Author put Soline but I presume it was a typo)

– No. I can't send that child since she is even smarter than I am. I will send a punk who is as smart and as upright as me. Don't worry. I'm sure that he will be helpful.

Cale was looking at Duke Fredo as if he couldn't trust him despite Fredo sounding so full of certainty, but Cale nodded his head since he knew Duke Fredo wasn't the type to say something he did not mean. He then added on to his previous explanation.

"His highness is going to make an announcement about Endable soon. So don't worry. And the Henituse territory will send supplies."

– ….

Duke Fredo silently looked at Cale before chuckling.

– Truly only a son understands the heart of his father.

Click.

Cale ended the call.

"Next."

"I got it, human! That vampire's nonsense is increasing the longer we know him!"

Multiple calls were completed after that and thankfully, all of them agreed to assist Cale.

"Bishop-nim. They have arrived."

"…Yeah."

The bishop looked toward the door of a white prayer room that could fit about twenty people.

Click.

The door opened and people who had their faces covered by robes walked into the prayer room.

"Ah, you're here, Commander-nim."

"I came pretty quickly, didn't I?"

"Yes, sir."

Cale removed his hood to reveal his face before warmly greeting the bishop.

One night later when it was close to midnight again… Cale came to see the bishop.

"Then we will do it right away."

"Yes, Commander-nim."

The bishop retreated toward the wall of the prayer room. The few officials from the temple who were by his side also retreated to the walls with solemn looks on their faces.

'The divine item is going to be used.'

This would be the first time that the new divine item bestowed by the God of Death would be used.

That fact was making the temple officials' hearts beat wildly and their hands shake uncontrollably.

Cale stood at the center of the empty prayer room.

He raised his head.

The soft white light at the center of the ceiling was right above Cale's head.

"Let's get started."

He spoke to his friends and pulled the mirror out of his pocket. He frowned for a moment while looking at the mirror that was decorated with luxurious gold before tapping on the mirror with a look of indifference on his face.

Paaaaat-!

Light and a screen appeared on the mirror.

Will you accept the invitation?

YES / NO

Cale's finger touched the YES.

Ooooooooong—!

"Ooh!"

"Oh my!"

"…Oh, beloved Lord…"

A large circle was created with Cale at the center.

It was completely different from a magic circle. Furthermore, it was glowing black.

The temple officials felt as if they were looking at a circle personally drawn by the God of Death.

Ooooooooong-

Once the circle was completed…

Would you like to be transported now?

Currently at 1 member

Cale looked at the mirror screen and opened his mouth.

"Let's go."

His friends walked into the circle as soon as he said that.

– Hehe. Human, we will protect you!

"Meeeeeow."

"Meeow!"

On, Hong, and Raon.

"I will stand behind you, Cale-nim."

Choi Han stood behind Cale.

His team leader, Sui Khan, silently stood on Cale's right side and smiled.

"Looks like I have to work as soon as I reincarnated."

On his left was Eruhaben, who sternly said that he would go despite Cale telling him to rest.

They were currently at seven members.

"Mary, let's go."

"Yes, sir."

The first time Cale went into the city of the Dark Elves… The Dark Elf who came to greet them was Tasha's close friend Shawn, who was one of the greatest Dark Elf warriors. He was here in Tasha's place.

Mary, who was standing next to him, nodded at Cale's gaze.

'Mary. That is a place where being a necromancer is only reserved for the Emperor.'

She thought about the information Cale gave her about this new world.

Cale watched Mary step onto the circle and looked outside of it again.

"Will you go?"

"Yes, sir."

The individual who had yet to come into the circle took off their hood.

The woman with short purple hair walked onto the circle with a stoic look on her face.

She was the vampire that Duke Fredo had sent in his place.

'One adult Dragon, one Dark Elf, one Vampire, one Necromancer, one sword master, three children, and one reincarnated child.'

Cale looked at the mirror screen.

Would you like to be transported now?

Currently at 10 members

"Yes."

Cale responded to the invitation and a black light shot up from the circle.

It was a black light that did not feel ominous at all. In fact, it felt warm.

Cale was baffled after thinking that this warmth that was surrounding his body was from the God of Death.

Commencing transportation.

The divine item activated without caring about Cale's thoughts and black light soon burst out in all directions, covering the eyes of the temple officials in darkness.

"Huh?"

Once the darkness subsided, Cale's group and the circle were gone from the center of the prayer room.

Cale heard the voice of the God of Death while he was surrounded by darkness.

Sir, you are now being connected to the Xiaolen World.

Cale subconsciously scowled because the God of Death sounded disgusting speaking so formally to guide him.

The guide continued without caring about his feelings.

Sir, your arrival is set to be in the Grand Prayer Room of the Central Temple of the Fire of Purification.

The Church of the Fire of Purification was said to be their helpers.

Cale's expression slowly turned calm and collected.

'Things should be a bit easier since we are arriving at the center of our helpers' location.'

He slowly started to organize his thoughts about the situation.

Arriving in 5 seconds.

5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

You have arrived.

Paaaaat-!

The darkness disappeared and a bright light slowly filled Cale's gaze.

Blink blink.

He blinked a few times until he could see clearly.

He was in a white area that was being supported with pure white marble pillars.

There was a large circular altar at the center.

The moment Cale realized that he and the others were standing on top of the altar…

"We greet the purifier!"

"We greet the purifier!"

Hundreds of people wearing long red priest robes knelt down toward Cale. They then lowered their heads almost to the ground.

– …Human, what the hell is going on?

'I know, right?'