Chapter 58

A girl lived on the outskirts of London.

Her mother had passed away early, and her father only returned occasionally for work. Despite this, she was never unhappy.

She lived in a small apartment with her quiet younger sister. Though their household was strict and they lived without any luxuries, there was a certain happiness there.

The girl cherished her father’s teachings.

"God is always watching over us. Therefore, always live righteously."

The girl followed these teachings and lived righteously, believing that God was always watching over her.

She was well-liked and had a pleasant appearance, making her popular in her community. Her younger sister admired her and the two lived happily together.

When the girl turned 15, a young man confessed his love to her.

He was the heir to a well-known local conglomerate but had a reputation for being involved in various scandals. The girl, who was unfamiliar with romantic feelings, honestly expressed her thoughts and rejected the young man’s advances.

Some time later, an incident occurred.

When the girl returned home, she found her sister murdered.

Her sister’s body bore many marks of violence, and her face, which was usually full of smiles, was twisted in despair.

The girl investigated. Using all her connections and any means necessary, she identified the culprits.

The perpetrators were the young man who had confessed to her, his friends, and her own father. While the young men were the actual perpetrators, her father had sold her information and assisted in the crime. The real target was the girl herself.

The girl called for justice, demanding that the law punish the perpetrators. However, the young men were not held accountable, and her sister’s death was ruled an accident. Her father’s testimony was a key piece of evidence that led to the young men’s acquittal.

The girl sought power. The power to deliver just punishment.

Her sister’s death had awakened her to a special ability called 'hypnosis.' However, this was not enough.

Ten years passed.

Enduring harsh training and experiments, she obtained a unique power called 'The Great Army of Fools.'

Using this power, she exacted revenge on the young men and their friends who had committed the crime. She also dealt the same fate to her father, who had sold her information. Despite hearing his excuses—that he needed the money to escape poverty and that he never thought her sister would die—her resolve did not waver.

"I'm tired."

She planned to end her revenge by eliminating the cause of her sister’s death, which was herself.

"Is it really over?"

However, a presence spoke to her.

"There are still those you need to take revenge on."

"More people to take revenge on?"

The presence smiled and answered her question.

"God."

The face and form of the presence that spoke to her were unknown to her, but somehow her resolve was firm.

"Yes. My sister and I always lived righteously. If God abandoned us, then we must take revenge on the God who abandoned us."

She continues to live according to this resolve, unaware that it was twisted by someone else...

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‘The Knife of God’

A divine artifact that can strip away phenomena and concepts with a single swing... or so it seems.

I never expected it to be on display at a municipal museum, so I confirmed it multiple times with my ability to be sure.

"Still, it’s incredibly powerful."

Just grazing it, it instantly stripped away all the magic from the dragon and the skeletal giant, causing them to collapse. It exudes a far more terrifying aura than even a quadruple barrier.

"What is that...?"

"Probably a museum exhibit."

While answering the black-dressed girl's surprise, I close the distance with a full sprint.

‘The Knife of God’ is a manifestation of a technique similar to the ‘Blade’ and ‘Lance’ used by Owl and Juna, but it is extremely difficult to control. Therefore, I cannot use any other techniques or abilities simultaneously. I must approach without any enhancements or fireballs.

"Uooooooh!"

"Stay back!"

Branch spears, stone gravel, and walls of air block my path, but I cut through them one by one with ‘The Knife of God.’

"We don’t have time. Only 2 minutes left."

"My head hurts! My body is burning!"

Nia informs me of the time until ‘The Knife of God’ collapses. We really don’t have much time. Uru is also nearing her limit.

"Damn it, just a little more!"

From the atmosphere, it seems the source of the black-dressed girl’s power is the black orb in her chest. I’m trying to get close to it, but the relentless attacks of wood and stone and the walls of air are making it difficult to close the distance. I thought taking down the dragon and the skeletal giant would end it, but I was too naive.

"1 minute left."

"I’m giving up on defense. Nia, Uru, hide behind my head!"

I grab Nia and Uru by the back of their heads and hide them behind my head.

I ignore the incoming wooden spears and stone gravel, cutting through the walls of air as I approach.

"I won’t give you this power! With this power, I will take revenge on God!"

The black-dressed girl retreats while manipulating the surrounding natural objects to attack.

"Aaaah!"

My left arm is blown off and my right leg is deeply gouged, but they regenerate immediately. However, the substitute talismans, whose effects have worn off, crumble.

"Damn..."

If I receive a fatal wound in this state, I will definitely die. I’m scared.

I know the feeling of loss, despair, and the fear of death better than anyone. But because of that, I must move forward. If I run away, the committee members behind me might be killed... but I’m scared of dying!!

"Ah, come on! Just a little more!"

I can’t hesitate or falter. I will definitely die. The distance to the black-dressed girl is less than 2 meters. If I take one more step, the blade will reach her. I can win! No one will die!!

"My revenge isn’t over! 'Burn him to ashes!'"

"!!?"

An unprecedented sense of impending death. I roll to the right instinctively.

Looking back, the ground where I was standing is red and melted.

"Lava? It’s hot... it hurts!"

Shifting my gaze to my legs, I see that the middle of my thigh is charred, and the part below is gone.

"Still not over!"

"Master, stay strong!"

I return to my senses at the sound of Nia and Uru’s voices from behind my head.

Right, my right leg is still intact. I’ll use it to jump and get closer... but my left leg has regenerated.

"20 seconds left!"

"Master, fight!"

I feel two things being stuck to the back of my neck. Nia and Uru must have stuck the substitute talismans they had on themselves to me just before I lost my left leg.

"Thank you, both of you."

I thank Nia and Uru as I sprint towards the black-dressed girl with all my might.

"Burn!"

"No way!"

The heat, which is probably light, is creating high-temperature heat rays. I can see several black dots, about the size of ping-pong balls, floating around the black-dressed girl. They appear black because the light is concentrated there. It’s like a natural laser beam, too overpowered!

"But it doesn’t matter. With two substitute talismans, I can force my way through!"

"10 seconds left!"

"As long as the blade touches!"

"My revenge isn’t over!"

I push forward, burning from the heat rays, but the black-dressed girl also retreats, using walls of air to block my progress.

If this continues, it’s bad. My body can hold out, but there’s no time!

"Hehehe, it looks like I win... Ah!"

Just when I thought it was too late, vines entangled the black-dressed girl’s feet, causing her to fall.

"An opening!!"

With the sudden fall, the walls of air and heat rays disappeared, and I mercilessly swung ‘The Knife of God.’

I aimed the blade at the black orb in the black-dressed girl’s chest with the image of stripping away all the evil.

"My power! My... revenge?"

The light and air she was manipulating dissipated, and the area was enveloped in blinding light and a violent storm.

Blown away by the storm, I gradually lost consciousness as the tension snapped.

"Ugh..."

Just before losing consciousness, I felt a pebble in my mouth. Ugh, this is the worst...