What the Hell is That Kid? (4)
There's a saying about the "Five Great Holy Lights."
It refers to the five major faiths representing the continent.
And among those five lights, there is Eshua, the leader of the Blue Faith.
Think about it—what kind of family is Eshua from!
The most noble "Sword" among the five lights!
A faith that protects the weak by eradicating demons!
Since they fight demons at the frontlines, they must be stronger and more resistant to temptation than anyone else.
Thus, the Blue Sword Eshua is considered more upright, courageous, honest, and ungreedy than anyone… No, seriously, damn it. Anyway, they're renowned as the most noble family!
At least, that's how it's supposed to be.
"Dya dya dya dya (Hahaha, this is great)!"
[Kyak yak yak! You damn little priests! Hurry and offer your power to my master!]
"Dduya (Become nourishment)!"
Shuri grabbed her face as she watched the baby, Isaac, gleefully waving a ring.
Every time Isaac shook the ring, powerful holy energy was sucked into it.
He was completely draining the power of the other candidates.
Honestly, it was hard to tell if this kid was a demon spawn or a priest's descendant.
Of course, the ones being drained didn't seem to realize anything was wrong.
"Huh? Why isn't my holy spell working?"
"Is this part of the trial too?!"
"Huff, so Eshua faces such extreme trials even from the cradle!"
"Such admirable kids…!"
No, it's not, damn it!
Of course, Shuri was probably the only one who understood what was really going on.
It was because of Eshua's pureblood lineage. Eshua's bloodline had strong bodies to resist demons and special abilities mixed into their blood.
But even if someone witnessed this, they couldn't talk about it anywhere!
I mean, seriously! How would you even explain it?
That the little kid from the host's side is sucking out the candidate priests' powers and grinning like a devil?
Honestly, even if you said it, no one would believe you.
That ring was originally designed to very slowly gather surrounding holy energy.
In other words, it was only supposed to collect tiny bits.
If it could drain holy power like a damn mob boss shaking people down, it wouldn't have been called a saint's ring — it would've been treated like a thief's tool! Actually, not even that, it would've been considered a defective piece!
Even Uncle Rilai had only set a low-level holy spell matching the limited recharge capacity.
But how is it now showing this kind of power?
It's like the ring's abilities have been upgraded.
'How the hell?'
Is this really that kid's own power?
Yet in response to Shuri's suspicious gaze, Isaac clicked his tongue dismissively.
'It's not upgraded; I just restored it to its original power.'
Isaac knew.
He knew how much had to be sacrificed hundreds of years ago just to kill him once.
This ring was originally a divine gift that could absorb even surrounding life force to gather holy energy.
The saintesses themselves must have been desperate, knowing the weight of such sacrifices…
'Sorry, but living is better than dying.'
The saintesses were just hunters dragged around by lazy gods.
Why should he have to die?
Why should the people who came with the saintess have to shed blood?
That's why the Skeleton King, while fighting the saintess, secretly sealed the powers of these sacred objects.
That way, under the guise of divine hunts, innocent escort knights wouldn't get sacrificed, and saintesses wouldn't think of self-destruction either.
After that, the pointless bloodshed and sacrifices disappeared.
Sure, it just meant the saintesses got hopelessly lost and often ended up climbing over people's bedroom walls…
Maybe because they were clueless nobles who didn't know how the world worked, or maybe because all they knew was how to turn demons into meat…
They also foolishly carried around way too much money, making them prime targets for pickpockets—no, that's not the point.
Anyway, partly because the artifacts had aged, but mostly because their abilities were deliberately reduced.
And now the one who sealed them was standing right here!
So, just undo the spell and restore the functions—easy!
If it's not being used to kill him, then he can just enjoy the benefits himself!
"Dya dya dya dya (Give me more holy power, you fools)!"
"Waaaah, I'm so sleepy…"
"M-my strength…!"
Thud! Thud!
Still, out of conscience, Isaac didn't drain their life force.
He only needed to replenish the holy power he had spent earlier when dealing with the golem.
Not that he really cared about holy power.
'If I let it starve, it'll just start forcibly converting my mana into holy power again.'
Damn this body.
Most importantly, he needed to gather as much strength as possible for the Third Gate.
'Since the Second Gate had demons, the Third Gate must have a dragon.'
If it's a dragon, it might recognize him.
Unlike golems, dragons use magic, and if they detect it, they might figure out who he is. So he needed to fight purely with holy spells.
Plus, skinning a dragon with holy spells meant he could slap on a hefty price later. Hehehe.
The ones losing power might feel like dying from unfairness, but honestly, Isaac thought they should be grateful.
'You guys wouldn't survive the Skeleton King's corrupted magic anyway. Think about the poisoning effects…'
But then—
Whooosh!
"!"
With a golden blaze, the murderous dolls inside the Second Gate were instantly incinerated.
Boom!
Rather than simply burning away, it was closer to annihilation.
A pure, golden light, as if not tolerating even the slightest impurity.
Thus, the flame symbolizing the faith of gold instantly eliminated the demon puppet, considered an impurity.
"I finally found you."
"Kina Verit!"
Kina Verit, who had been dead last, finally revealed himself.
He was gasping for breath as he descended from the bird of light.
It was clear that, upon seeing Isaac open the second gate, he had hurriedly summoned a spirit.
At the sight, Shuri looked at Kina Verit in despair.
'He can already summon a holy spirit?'
No — not just Shuri.
The other children, too, were equally shocked.
Summoning a holy spirit was something usually reserved for repelling high-ranking demons.
Of course, it was a non-combat spirit and still small, but this wasn't just a matter of simple talent.
It was overwhelming genius!
Yet, Kina Verit was glaring at Isaac.
"I'm honestly surprised. I didn't think there would be anyone here besides me who could defeat a demon."
Kina Verit's eyes trembled.
And for good reason — hadn't his grandfather, the Pope, told him?
That there wouldn't be anyone more outstanding than him.
That all the saint candidates would eventually become his servants. That they would all kneel beneath his feet…
Isaac scrunched his nose at the rare sight of Kina's trembling eyes.
Yeah, he's definitely recalling his grandfather's nonsense right now.
The Pope's family always said the same thing.
Something about how the saint candidates would become their loyal followers, huh?
'But the one becoming a servant… will be you.'
So what if that guy was a once-in-a-millennium genius?
'This body is a once-in-ten-thousand-years kind of genius.'
The Demon King knew talent when he saw it. It wasn't for nothing that he decided to live on inside this body.
["You just clung to it because he's a diamond spoon-born noble," you know.]
Shut up.
Anyway, Kina Verit must be feeling incredibly shaken right now.
And sure enough, he looked at Isaac with an unpleasant expression.
"Don't tell me, like in the first gate, you tricked the others into traps again? If that's the case—"
Just then, the fallen children shouted:
"No! That kid tried to pass the trial for us and ended up like this!"
"He even told us which direction to go!"
"He's our benefactor!"
"..."
Shuri felt so guilty she thought she might start bleeding from her conscience, but she said nothing.
Because now, Kina Verit's words no longer mattered.
"Hah! A toddler, a benefactor?"
"!"
"Are you not ashamed, calling yourselves saint candidates? I should've known from the way you acted during classes at the Vatican, but seriously, getting help from a kid like that?"
Even Shuri couldn't deny it.
This treasure vault was structured so that receiving help was essentially prohibited.
Yet, the children looked at Kina Verit with disdain.
"What's a dead-last like you so proud of?"
"!"
"We found all the traps. All you did was follow us and that kid. What's there to brag about?"
"And you dare talk about being a saint? That kid is far closer to sainthood than you are."
"Once we get out of here, we'll tell them everything. That you did nothing and that Eshua was the best."
Kina Verit flinched.
Even as young as they were, they understood — this wasn't just some childish quarrel.
This was a battle between noble houses.
"Maybe we should tell Father. Maybe it's better to side with the House of Eshua."
"You kept badmouthing the Saintess's family, huh? Saying the Eshua boys were useless?"
"...!"
Kina Verit looked like he was about to explode.
Shuri winced in guilt, feeling blood gush from her conscience, while Isaac stretched his arms wide as if drunk on the situation.
Ahh, wonderful! You filthy, petty little priests!
You backstabbing little priestlings! This is it! Keep going! Crush him!
When it comes to conquering a country with nobility, public favor is essential!
Those who follow me, I'll give you special "buzz-buzz" rides!
At that moment—
[Congratulations on passing the second gate. I am the final guardian of this treasure vault.]
"!"
A voice came from the direction of the door to the third gate.
It seemed that with the elimination of the puppets of the second gate, they had qualified to move forward.
Of course, they wouldn't be allowed through easily.
[Choose. Will you select a treasure here and end the trial, or challenge the third gate?]
"Of course… the third gate."
[Oh, and this is a warning. If you pass my trial, you will immediately claim a treasure from the third gate. But if you fail — you will die.]
"...!!"
The children murmured nervously, but Isaac grinned for another reason.
How could he not?
[I sense a strong magical power from the voice, Master.]
The speaker was trying to hide it, but it was obvious.
'A dragon.'
The other children, unaware, raised their voices as if trying to argue:
"I—I'm going to the third gate! After coming all this way!"
"Second gate treasures mean nothing!"
The treasures in the second gate were already national treasures, but they paled in comparison to the third.
There, myth-grade treasures — and above all, the Skeleton King's body — awaited.
"If I can bring something from the third gate, it'll change my family's standing!"
"Exactly!"
[So, you are all choosing to risk death and challenge the trial.]
Hearing the guardian's threat, the children only steeled their resolve further.
And just as fear froze the children in place, a statue fell from the ceiling.
Boom!
"W-What? Another statue?"
But it was clearly a statue of a completely different caliber than before.
"That appearance! It's the statue of the Progenitor God!"
[That's right. The final trial is simple. Offer your worship to the god.]
Worship?
[Kneel and bow to show your reverence to the god. Only those who prove their faith before the statue can move on to the third hall.]
The children could hardly believe their ears.
They had been terrified by the idea of dying if they failed, and yet the trial turned out to be something this simple!
The voice chuckled as if to reassure them.
[It was merely a test of your determination. I reward the courage that brought you this far. Even a child will pass if they show proper reverence.]
Everyone cheered — except for one.
'You're telling me to kneel… to who?'
Isaac's eyes were filled with malice.
To the Progenitor God?
Are you kidding me?!
They were his mortal enemies, the ones who ultimately deceived him.
Kneel before a mere statue of them? No way in hell!
No, he wasn't going to do it!
Meanwhile, the other children began kneeling one by one.
Each child showed their respect with the formal method, not a sloppy bow.
The voice sounded pleased.
[You have learned well. Very good. You may proceed.]
With that, a glowing sigil appeared at each child's feet.
It seemed to be the mark given to those who passed the test.
[Will you give up and choose death instead?]
Startled, the remaining children quickly knelt as well.
Thus, with everyone else marked for passing, Isaac was seemingly the only one left.
Yet even then, Isaac simply sat there, unmoving.
Shuri, who had been supporting Isaac earlier, looked on anxiously.
He was old enough to understand the instructions — no doubt about that. If anything, the way he was glaring at the statue like he was about to rip its head off was deeply unsettling.
Shuri started sweating nervously.
It almost looked like he was forming a bomb in his hand. No… no way, right?
'This event is definitely going to be recorded and reported to the outside.'
At this rate, Isaac would be seen as lacking faith and have his qualifications questioned entirely.
Keena and Berit began to feel that all the effort they'd put into this boy had been for nothing.
No matter how talented he was, if he had no faith, he was worthless.
'He'll probably be disqualified from being a Saint candidate.'
In the end, even Shuri and Keena knelt, but Isaac remained motionless.
The children who had passed started murmuring.
"Why isn't he kneeling? Did he not understand?"
"No, he understood everything until now. Maybe he really has a problem with his faith…"
"…Hey, wasn't there a rumor that Eshua had been losing faith recently? And that's why he failed to capture the Skull King…"
The children's gazes turned strange.
Shuri tried to help Isaac bow down to avoid a scandal, but Isaac ended up hitting Shuri instead.
The voice sounded extremely displeased at the sight.
It seemed to have realized Isaac was showing no faith whatsoever.
[Whelp. Why do you not kneel?]
"Ddu-ya-ya-ya (F*** off, you kneel first)!"
[Tsk. How blasphemous for a Saint. And from a Saintess' bloodline no less — do you not even know your place?]
Oh, go to hell, you bastard.
"Dda-dda-dda-dda (Want me to slice your neck like that statue's)?"
At those words, an invisible force slammed down hard on Isaac's head.
Boom!
The force tried to force Isaac to kneel and bow his head.
Taking the full brunt of the pressure, Isaac's veins bulged in fury.
Crack.
[Master?]
Craack.
[Master! Please, wait!]
Ah. That's the sound of patience snapping.
Whatever. Screw the treasures and all that. Just smash that bastard and bring back the corpse.
Got it? Everything that happens from here is officially the fault of that uncle who put a blessing on me. Yep, that's the story.
Just as Isaac was about to destroy the statue—
[Marvelous! That is the true attitude of a Saint! Proceed to the third hall! You have passed!]
…Seriously? Passed?
Fine. Good. Now, where's that damn lizard so I can kill him—
"…"
.........….
…What the hell?
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