ALL NOVEL Chapter 40
–Kbang!
Every time a massive chunk of earth crashed down, Jang Chae Yeon reached out, and simultaneously, the dirt poured down like rain.
“I need to take a shower as soon as we get outside!”
“I agree.”
Nodding at Yu Da On’s cheerful exclamation, I fired a few rounds, even though it was pointless.
Occasionally, the incoming branches were blocked by Song Ah Rin’s Clay Doll, while sometimes Yu Da On collided into them, but there was a critical issue.
“I’m not hitting anything!”
“You’re expecting too much while shooting from the back!”
Song Ah Rin grumbled as she reached out, only for another Clay Doll to appear in its place, pierced by the branch and vanishing.
The eyes of a newborn baby rolled around, revealing a low voice again.
“Since the creation of the world, His invisible things, namely His eternal power and divine nature, are clearly seen through the things that are made; so that they are without excuse.”
“There are limits to dolls! What will we do?”
At Song Ah Rin’s urgent voice, I felt my own anxiety rising.
Should I shoot now?
That can’t be right.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from using Critical multiple times, it’s that the timing to use it is felt instinctively.
And right now, my instincts were saying that using it would be pointless.
“If I can just create an opportunity once, right?”
Covered in dirt, Yu Da On looked at me.
“For now, yes. Do you have a good idea?”
“I have one.”
Seeing the calm expression on Yu Da On’s face made me uneasy for no reason.
“Right now, Chae Yeon is drawing attention, so I just need to pull it away, right?”
“…That makes sense, but is it really possible?”
I looked at Yu Da On, not to dismiss her but to genuinely ask if it would work.
After all, I couldn’t expect the destructive power of Jang Chae Yeon from Yu Da On.
In response to my words, she lifted the axe that had been lodged in her neck earlier.
“If I get close and start chopping, won’t it just smash me?”
“…”
That’s not inaccurate.
“It’ll hurt, though.”
“It will hurt, right?”
She said it as if it were nothing at all.
“But that’s all, isn’t it?”
“…”
Is this what an immortal thinks?
She smiled and grasped the axe with both hands.
“If you’re worried, let’s just have a drink together after this is over.”
“That shouldn’t be too difficult.”
With a sigh, Song Ah Rin interjected in our conversation.
“Whenever you say stuff like that, it ends up being disastrous. Can’t help it. I guess I have to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
“Were you not planning to help?”
“I just wanted to sound like I might. …Well.”
With a hint of embarrassment, she mumbled and looked ahead.
“Chae Yeon, did you hear? Just a little favor, okay?”
“Don’t worry.”
Without looking back, Jang Chae Yeon nodded.
“I’ll make sure to protect you at all costs.”
“Make sure to keep an eye on others too.”
“I’ll go easy on them.”
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
A low voice could be heard.
At some point, she had started only saying what she wanted.
Just a moment ago, we had been having a conversation.
Feeling puzzled for a moment, more dirt and stones started pouring down.
“Let’s go!”
At my words, Yu Da On pulled out the axe and began running ahead, with Song Ah Rin and I following behind amidst the Clay Dolls.
The falling dirt and rocks continued to scatter elsewhere, and occasionally the Clay Dolls helped block the attacks.
The ground shook.
With each step taken toward the Mountain God, awe and fear welled up inside me, but I gritted my teeth and pushed Yu Da On and Song Ah Rin forward, who were staggering under the pressure.
It was almost within reach.
The Clay Dolls gathered, forming a barrier in front of us, and at that moment, a single root moved, sweeping half away.
But that was enough.
Yu Da On quickly kicked off the collapsing dirt and leapt.
In mid-air, she raised the axe, and with that, a massive root pierced her neck, and she dropped dead instantly.
Following behind her, I also ran over the heaps of dirt.
Every time I slipped, I leaped off the bodies of the Clay Dolls and aimed my gun in the air.
[Critical: 1 -> 0]
The world slowed down.
I saw a red spot on the forehead of the Mountain God and instinctively pulled the trigger.
–Bang!
The bullet lodged itself into the red spot as if being sucked in, and the Mountain God opened its mouth, letting out a silent scream.
Its abdomen started to swell, and soon voices of people began to flow from its mouth.
-Please let this harvest be good.
-Make me rich.
-Please don’t let me get hurt.
-Help me harvest better crops than that Kim from next door.
-There’s too much noise from the village head, please kill him.
It was a wish.
The numerous wishes of people directed at the Mountain God.
I turned my gaze to Yu Da On.
“Gah, heh…!”
“Da On!”
I quickly pulled her down as she gripped the root lodged in her neck in pain.
Next—
“Hey! Dodge!”
By the time I heard Song Ah Rin’s sharp voice and turned to see, it was too late.
I felt a violent blow to my side, and my vision suddenly shifted.
“Ugh-!”
I rolled on the ground.
Finally, as my vision started to blur, my body barely came to a stop, and when I touched my throbbing side, blood stained my hand.
–Kbang!
In front of my dazed vision, something shook vigorously, and someone grabbed my cheeks.
“Are you alive?”
“…For now.”
It was Song Ah Rin.
She slipped her hands under my shoulders and began to drag me backwards, grunting.
I tried to say something with my numbed tongue, but she shook her head.
“Stay still. I’ll, no— We’ll take care of this.”
With trembling hands, she gently stroked my cheek before turning and running off somewhere.
The noise intensified even more than before.
The shouts of Song Ah Rin, Yu Da On, and Jang Chae Yeon buzzed in my head, occasionally mixed with screams.
What went wrong?
I thought through my dazed mind.
Nothing went wrong.
I simply had too much faith in Critical.
From the very beginning, our battle had never shifted from being the challengers or prey.
I had become so engrossed in the recent winning formula that I thought surely a Critical hit would guarantee victory. The result was the pain I now felt in my side.
Let’s think of another way.
God lives on faith.
But would killing all those believers really solve anything?
Could it be that easy?
I tilted my head up to look at the falling rocks.
Do not forget, faith existed before a God was born.
With trembling hands, I pulled out the manual from my pocket.
Soon, the manual unfolded and revealed a page.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[N – About Higher Objects]
1. Higher objects are much more dangerous than you think, influenced by public religion. Avoid direct confrontation.
2. However, if you must engage in direct confrontation, it has to be over quickly.
3. Of the higher objects, those fed on faith have the longest longevity but have a firmly limited physical force.
4. Eliminating believers holds no meaning. This is a phenomenon caused by
5. Destruction methods include
The exposed source of faith.
Then, a path to victory emerged.
I placed my hand on my aching side and forced myself to stand.
Through my blurry vision, I could see the three of them running fiercely around.
Jang Chae Yeon, bleeding from the nose while fending off rocks, Song Ah Rin, pale and sweating profusely as she controlled the Clay Dolls, and Yu Da On, expressionless, swinging her axe while bleeding from all over.
“Everyone, pay attention!”
I yelled while still holding my side, and all three stopped to look at me.
“Defense is off! Chae Yeon and I will be the core! Yu Da On is the vanguard! Song Ah Rin is the escort! Just advance 10 meters!”
There were ears to listen. I said quickly and started to stumble forward.
Fortunately, it seemed like all three understood me, as Jang Chae Yeon supported me and started to run, with Yu Da On leading the way and using her axe and sometimes her body to block the dirt and rocks, while Song Ah Rin protected us with the remaining Clay Dolls.
“I will attack twice.”
“Got it.”
Jang Chae Yeon nodded.
A dreadful sense of awe surged stronger than before.
“A new god is being born!”
Song Ah Rin shouted in a desperate voice.
But now, that was okay.
[Coordinate Tear: 2 uses left]
A grid paper spread out in front of me again.
What appeared was different from anything I had seen before.
Inside its swollen belly were people.
Sometimes old people, sometimes newborns, sometimes robust young men.
All of them were weeping blood tears from their bellies as if they were knocking on something beyond.
Without me saying anything, Jang Chae Yeon was already reaching out.
Once, the people inside the belly began to squirm.
[Coordinate Tear: 1 use left]
Again, this time, those people began to rip apart.
-Please grant me eternal life!
-Give me the power to bring down those better than me!
-Wealth that allows me to live without ever working!
Their voices echoed like a refrain, and as if nothing had happened, everything froze.
Breathless, I looked ahead.
It was a statue made of mud, shaped like a baby.
Just like the one I saw at the Mountain Lodge.
Naturally, a transparent window appeared before my eyes.
[Name: Sad Reality]
[Age: Recently Created]
[Traits: -]
[Talents: -]
[Background: To revere God is the foundation of knowledge; foolish ones despise wisdom and instruction.]
[Vulnerability: -]
It’s over.
With strength leaving my body, I fell forward.
Jang Chae Yeon caught me and looked down at me with a gentle smile.
“…You did well.”
“Yeah, it was a bit of a struggle.”
“Let’s treat your injuries first.”
“I’m in favor of that.”
With that, the dreadful incident disguised as a workshop came to a close.
Surprisingly, our Team Leader was said to have been rescued while frying fish in a tent.
*
After being told to maintain absolute rest, I received a few weeks of break.
Finally, I could really take a break.
“…”
“I’m going to sleep now.”
“That’s difficult.”
Jang Chae Yeon shook her head firmly, holding a blanket.
“No way.”